A study conducted by some students of the University of Ghana and published in April 2017 shows that many females in Ghana are aware of the female condom, but just 2% of them use it.

This has translated into a loss for the National AIDS/STI Control Programme (NACP), conducted by the Public Health Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

According to the Deputy Programme Manager of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme, Dr Anthony Ashinyo, his outfit has had to trash about 50,000 female condoms procured following a low patronage and demand, leading to their expiry.

During an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Ashinyo explained that 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 explained that many women stay away from female condoms because of how society views them. To them, using female condoms means distrust of their partner or that she is sexually promiscuous.

“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 expressed concern about the misuse of female condoms, revealing that some women remove the rims to design bangles and clothes, while others complain about discomfort and overstimulation when using them.

Dr Ashinyo continued that the low patronage of the female condoms poses a threat to Ghana’s fight against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including 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.

To check this worrying trend, Dr Ashinyo called for increased awareness and public education and advocacy to clear the misconceptions about it and ensure that the supplies to pharmacies and public health facilities see a boost again.

The low demand, he said, has affected the supply chain, with pharmacies and public health facilities now stocking only limited quantities. He called for renewed public education and advocacy to address misconceptions and encourage female condom use as part of national HIV prevention efforts.

According to the 2024 National and Sub-National HIV and AIDS Estimates and Projections Report, about 334,721 people are currently living with HIV in Ghana. The country recorded 15,290 new infections and 12,614 AIDS-related deaths last year.

The Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, said new infections among the youth are rising due to low condom usage and complacency about HIV risks.

To reverse the trend, he announced plans to install condom dispensing machines at public spaces such as transport terminals, university campuses, and youth events to increase accessibility.

“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.

Globally, HIV has claimed an estimated 44.1 million lives as of July 2025, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The agency notes that while transmission remains widespread, effective prevention and antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to offer hope for managing and reducing infections.

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.

In 2024, the Director General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr. Steve Kyeremeh Atuahene, partly attributed the rise in new HIV infections in Ghana at the time to individuals' reluctance to disclose their HIV status to their spouses, fearing desertion.

Dr. Atuahene emphasized that the refusal of some HIV-positive individuals to continue their medication was a significant factor in the spike.

He explained, "The fear of the husband or wife deserting them leads some not to disclose their status. Some are afraid their spouse may discover they are taking daily medication, leading them to hide or discontinue their medicines."