Close to 50,000 female condoms procured by the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) have gone to waste over low patronage

This was announced by Deputy Programme Manager of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme, Dr. Anthony Ashinyo during an engagement with the Ghana News Agency.

According to him, the expired condoms formed part of large consignments meant to promote safer sex among women, but poor patronage rendered most of them unused.

“We bought a lot of female condoms in the past, but they were not being used. Over time they expired, and we had to throw them away. Now, procurement is done in very small quantities because the demand is not there,” he said.

He added that mistrust, promiscuity, social and cultural attitudes are the major drivers discouraging the usage of the product by females.

“Many women believe that wearing female condoms means they cannot be trusted by their partners, so they would rather rely on male condoms. The desire and interest to use the female condoms are just not there,” Dr. Ashinyo added.

He also raised concern about the improper use of female condoms, noting that some women take off the rims to create bangles and clothing accessories, while others report discomfort or excessive stimulation during use.

Dr. Ashinyo cautioned that the declining use of condoms, particularly among women, endangers Ghana’s efforts to curb sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV.

“Condoms serve as a biomedical protective tool that collects secretions containing viruses. When people don’t use them, those secretions come into direct contact during intercourse, increasing the risk of infection,” he noted.

He explained that the low demand has disrupted the supply chain, leaving pharmacies and public health centers with only small quantities in stock. To address this, he urged intensified public education and advocacy to dispel myths and promote the use of female condoms as part of Ghana’s HIV prevention strategy.

The 2024 National and Sub-National HIV and AIDS Estimates and Projections Report indicates that about 334,721 Ghanaians are currently living with HIV, with 15,290 new infections and 12,614 AIDS-related deaths recorded last year.

Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, noted that new infections are increasing among young people due to declining condom use and a growing sense of complacency toward HIV risks.

To tackle this challenge, he revealed plans to introduce condom dispensing machines in public places, including transport terminals, university campuses, and youth gatherings, to make condoms more accessible and encourage safer sexual practices.

“A person living with HIV still fears disclosure, still fears ostracism, and still fears for their future. We must challenge this,” Dr. Akanbong urged, calling on Ghanaians to treat people living with HIV with dignity and respect.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that by July 2025, HIV had claimed roughly 44.1 million lives worldwide.

Despite its continued spread, the organization says advancements in prevention and antiretroviral treatment (ART) are helping to control the virus and lower infection rates.

In late October, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) revealed that an average of 42 new HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infections are recorded daily among adults and children across the country.

According to the Commission’s 2024 National and Sub-National HIV Estimates and Projections, a total of 334,721 people are currently living with HIV in Ghana. Out of this figure, 105,460 are males, representing 31.5 percent, while 229,261 are females, accounting for 68.5 percent.

The Bono, Bono East, and Ahafo Regional Technical Coordinator of the GAC, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Bimbilla, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, said the data provides crucial insight into the scale of the epidemic and guides effective planning.

He revealed that 15,290 new HIV infections were recorded in the country, comprising 4,987 males, representing 32.6 percent, and 10,303 females, representing 67.4 percent.

Mr. Bimbilla also noted that AIDS-related deaths currently stand at 12,614, consisting of 5,445 males and 7,159 females. He said approximately 229 deaths are prevented each week through the provision of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) services.

Providing a regional breakdown, he said the North East Region recorded the lowest HIV population with 1,717 cases, while Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern recorded the highest figures of 77,821, 63,159, and 44,792 respectively.

He added that seven regions known as Ahafo, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Oti, Savannah, and North East each recorded HIV populations below 10,000.

According to him, HIV prevalence is highest in the Bono Region with 2.22 percent, followed by the Eastern Region with 2.08 percent and Ahafo with 1.88 percent, while the North East Region recorded the lowest prevalence at 0.43 percent.

He further indicated that five regions, namely Oti, Upper East, Savannah, Northern, and North East, recorded prevalence rates below 1.0 percent.

Mr. Bimbilla stated that the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Eastern regions also recorded the highest number of new HIV infections, with 3,436, 2,997, and 2,019 cases respectively, while the North East Region recorded the lowest with 97 cases.

Eleven regions, including Bono, Volta, Bono East, Western North, Ahafo, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Oti, Savannah, and North East, recorded fewer than 1,000 new infections.

Commenting on the trend, Mr. Bimbilla described the decline in HIV prevalence, new infections, and AIDS-related deaths as a positive development, which he attributed to the growing uptake of ART services.

He expressed optimism that the downward trend would help Ghana achieve epidemic control and urged continued efforts in public education, testing, and access to treatment to sustain progress toward eliminating HIV and AIDS.