An estimated 52 percent of adult males have some degree of erectile dysfunction, Dr Matthew Kyei of the Urology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), has said.

According to him, majority of studies conducted on the subject suggested that although age was not a factor in determining severe erectile dysfunction in males, the study indicated that some degree of erectile dysfunction was common in men aged between 40 to 70 years.

Dr Kyei disclosed this at a public lecture to mark the 50th anniversary of the University Hall (Katanga) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) held in Accra.

Speaking on the topic: “Erectile Dysfunction in Men”, Dr Kyei said erectile dysfunction is the inability of a man to achieve long erection to engage in sexual intercourse that is satisfactory.

Taking the audience through the causes and treatment as well as the need for people to get tested for erectile dysfunction, he said the situation could be caused by various physical, psychological or medical conditions.

“Psychogenic which include stress and fatigue, organic causes like penile, nervous, certain drugs and surgery, and some medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension are factors that can cause such condition,” he said.

He said treatment of the condition was patient-centered and goal-oriented since the level of dysfunction differed from one person to the other.

He observed that treatments to improve the condition could be administered, surgery conducted, or injections given to correct the dysfunction.

Dr Kyei, however, noted exercise, relaxation, counselling and support from the female partner had a 21percent success chance of correcting the defect.

He therefore urged the male population to get tested for the erectile dysfunction status because it helped improve the overall male health status, improve survival, avoid marital conflicts and some diseases like prostate cancer and infections.

Dr Julia Padiku Derban, Head of the Well Woman Clinic at the Trust Hospital, making her presentation on low level of libido in women said most women, especially mothers, have low libido as a result of child birth.

“Because after most women give birth their attention shifts from being a wife to being a mother,” she said.

Dr Derban therefore noted that it was important for male partners to support their female partners, especially after birth, to help increase their lost libido.