More than 500,000 men in the country have taken Viagra for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (impotence) since it was introduced into the country in 1999. This number is just half of the one million men suffering from erectile dysfunction who resort to other means of treatment including purchasing drugs smuggled into the country.

Mr Divine Akaba, a medical representative of Pfizer, an international pharmaceutical company that produces Viagra, the first orally effective medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction in men, he said. He was addressing media personnel and health professionals at a seminar for members of Health Communications Institute, an association of health journalists and health professionals.

The seminar was aimed at educating media personnel on issues relating to infertility, impotence and reproductive health, particularly among men. Mr Akaba said it is unfortunate that reproductive health issues and infertility are skewed towards women and that many men with erectile dysfunction have glossed over the problem for fear of stigmatization and ignorance about where to seek treatment.

He said the increasing use of Viagra in the country is and indication that impotence, which is associated with the inability to have or maintain an erection for satisfactory sexual relation and infertility, is a major health problem of Ghanaian men. According to Mr Akaba, Viagra acts to increase and maintain erection by promoting smooth muscle relaxation and increased blood flow to the male organ.

He said risk factors that make men prone to sexual dysfunction include psychological conditions, such as anxiety, stress or depression and unhealthy lifestyles including cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and drug abuse. Mr Akaba said diabetic and hypertensive patients are also known to be at risk of the condition due to the diseases themselves or the kind of drugs they are given for treatment of their ailments.

He warned that Viagra, which is supplied as a blue, rounded-diamond shaped tablets in a pack of four should only be prescribed by a doctor and advised men suffering from erectile dysfunction to seek medical attention since it