The recent augmentation in the number of HIV positive people in India has caused concern and different measures have been initiated to curb the disease.There are measures aimed at spreading awareness about the prevention of this deadly disease among people.Likewise,measures have been introduced to dispel the stigma associated with AIDS because of which most HIV infected people opt to shun treatment.

One such measure is the launching of a cell phone ringtone that utters ‘Condom‘, ‘condom‘ repeatedly.This supposedly is part of a two-year project to make condoms socially acceptable via mass media which will result in the practice of safe sex.The acappella ringtone is a repetition of the word ‘condom‘ by a professional singer.It is expected that this will go a long way in making the use of condoms widespread.It is produced by the BBC World Service Trust and funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Reportedly,the ring tone was launched on Aug. 8 and it has been downloaded 60,000 times since then. People are asked to download the original ringtone by SMSing “CONDOM” to 5676787 or from www.condomcondom.org.The initiative emphasises the use of condom as a parameter of sensibility,resposibility and awareness about health and well-being.Any link or association with AIDS is not sought as this disease is looked upon as a stigma in India.The Creative Director of the BBC World Service Trust, Radharani Mitra held that ringtones have become such personal statements that a specially created condom ringtone seemed just the right vehicle to define its user as a sensible person.