The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) is set to introduce a new National Condom and Lubricant Strategy in 2027, with a focus on improving the comfort, quality and acceptability of condoms to encourage consistent use.
The strategy will introduce thinner condoms, more appropriate sizes, improved lubricants and easier-to-use products, including a more comfortable female condom.
Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, says the new strategy draws lessons from challenges identified under the previous national strategy, which has expired. He made the announcement during the launch of the 2026 World AIDS Day in Accra.
He explains that complaints about condom sizes, thickness and the quality of lubricants have informed the development of the new policy. Some users, he says, reported that existing lubricants became dry over time and developed a gel-like or crystallized texture, affecting their experience and willingness to use them.
“All is set for the implementation of the National Lubricant and Condom Strategy next year. The strategy will incorporate much thinner condoms, much more appropriate size condoms, much more effective lubricants, and much easier-to-use agents to promote its usage,” he said.
Dr Akanbong says the Commission is incorporating these concerns into the new strategy to improve user comfort and promote consistent condom use. The strategy will also introduce an improved female condom, following earlier concerns about discomfort and acceptability.
He notes that changes introduced under the 2015 strategy helped improve the acceptability of female condoms, but the Commission is now looking at newer options that offer greater comfort and ease of use.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Ghana’s HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention efforts by addressing some of the practical barriers that discourage condom use.
The announcement comes amid concerns about condom availability in the country, with the National AIDS/STI Control Programme recently confirming that national stocks are below the required levels.
Programme Manager of the NACP, Dr Emmanuel A. A. Teviu, disclosed that a new consignment of condoms had arrived in the country but was undergoing quality and safety assessments by the Food and Drugs Authority before distribution to health facilities.
The proposed strategy therefore comes at a critical time when Ghana is seeking to strengthen both the availability and acceptability of condoms as part of its broader HIV prevention response.
As the country prepares to mark World AIDS Day 2026 under the theme _40 Years of Steady Progress_, attention is turning not only to expanding access to prevention commodities but also to ensuring that products meet the needs and preferences of users.
The Commission believes that improving the user experience could help remove barriers to consistent condom use and support efforts to reduce new HIV infections.
By Sarah Apenkroh
