Ghana to release redesigned ultra-thin condoms after user complaints
Neatly rolled unused male condom for protection during safe sex on a grey background
The Ghana AIDS Commission is preparing to introduce a new batch of condoms aimed at addressing complaints about the comfort, fit and overall quality of products currently available through its distribution system.
The Commission’s Director-General, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, said the redesigned products had been developed after feedback from users was considered in previous assessments.
He told Joy News on Thursday, November 5, that the new range would be thinner and offer improvements in elasticity, durability and lubrication. The products are also expected to come in sizes intended to better accommodate Ghanaian men.
According to Dr Akanbong, the changes are intended to make the condoms more acceptable to users while maintaining the required quality and effectiveness.
He said the first batch was awaiting clearance from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), after which the Commission would distribute the products through its stakeholders and other condom distribution outlets.
Although distribution is expected to begin on Friday, November 6, the Director-General indicated that the condoms could reach the public either that day or by Monday, November 9, depending on the approval process.
The planned release comes as Ghana works to strengthen condom access and use under its wider HIV prevention programme.
The Ghana AIDS Commission’s National HIV Prevention Roadmap for 2026–2028 identifies condom distribution and use as one of the country’s key prevention priorities. It calls for stronger supply systems, more distribution outlets and increased efforts to encourage demand.
The roadmap also highlights gaps in condom use, drawing on national survey data that recorded low usage among the general population. It reports that 27.4 per cent of men and 10.6 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 used a condom during their most recent sexual encounter, based on the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.
The Commission’s latest product changes are therefore part of a broader effort to address not only the availability of condoms but also factors that may affect whether people are willing to use them consistently.
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