Ghana will begin installing condom vending machines across the country by the last quarter of 2026 as part of efforts to improve access to condoms and strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS, the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) has announced.
The machines will be placed at strategic public locations, including lorry stations, mosques, stadia and shopping malls, allowing people to access condoms discreetly without having to purchase them directly from vendors.
The Commission also plans to extend the initiative to public institutions by installing the machines in washrooms within ministries, departments, agencies and financial institutions as part of its national HIV and wellness policy.
The announcement was made during a dissemination meeting in Accra on the 2026 HIV Estimates and Projections, where stakeholders reviewed Ghana’s HIV situation, assessed gaps in the national response and discussed strategies to strengthen prevention and treatment efforts.
According to the Commission, the vending machines form part of a broader condom and lubricant distribution strategy aimed at improving access to HIV prevention tools while ensuring distribution methods meet the needs of different communities.
Speaking at the event, Director-General of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Dr Kharmacelle Prosper Akanbong, said the machines would be designed based on the specific needs and characteristics of the communities where they would be installed.
“The machines will not all be the same. Depending on the peculiar characteristics of a local population, the machine deployed could be electronically operated or manually administered,” he said.
Dr Akanbong explained that Ghana had previously introduced condom vending machines, which dispensed packs of three condoms for 50 pesewas, but the initiative was discontinued after several machines were vandalised.
“People were forcefully emptying the machines to take the coins,” he said.
He added that lessons from the previous rollout had informed improvements to the new machines, which are expected to be more secure and resistant to vandalism.
The Director-General also assured the public that concerns over condom shortages reported last year had been addressed, with government procuring additional supplies that are currently available across the country.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office Technical Lead for HIV, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis, Dr Kafui Senya, called for sustained efforts to reduce new HIV infections, eliminate stigma and discrimination, and ensure equitable access to HIV prevention and treatment services.
Programme Manager of the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme, Dr Emmanuel Akwoulo Agyigewe Teviu, urged stakeholders to address gaps in HIV prevention and strengthen integrated, people-centred care.
The Governing Board Chair of the Ghana AIDS Commission, Kakra Essamuah, also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s national response to HIV/AIDS.
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