Remember when you were in high school and there was so much anxiety associated with talking about or obtaining condoms? Well imagine trying to eliminate the taboo associated with contraceptives for an entire country. Concerned with adequate family planning, some 40 years ago Mechai Viravaidya began doing just that in Thailand.

In this interview with your host Sheela Sethuraman, Viravaidya describes how that effort gained him the title of "Condom King" and how he continued his public health work by founding the Population and Community Development Association (PDA). While many in Thailand mocked him by calling condoms "mechais," Viravaidya persevered and now Thailand's average family has 1.2 children instead of the 7 they did when he started.

Through his service as part of the government and through the ADP, Viravaidya brings a real pragmatic approach to dealing with some of the nation's most critical problems. In what he calls his 7/11 approach to development, ADP has successfully helped with many public health issues and is one of the leaders in fighting HIV/AIDS and promoting poverty elevation. In championing policies such as public education, access to credit, and business for social profit, ADP gained world-wide recognition by winning the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Gates Award for public health in 2007.