The Ghana AIDS Commission has formally addressed concerns regarding the distribution of condoms and lubricants, stating that these items are critical components of the national HIV prevention strategy and are not intended to promote any specific group or lifestyle.

The commission’s response follows remarks made by Samuel Nartey George, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram and co-sponsor of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

During a stakeholder engagement, Mr George questioned the rationale behind the distribution of these commodities, suggesting they might be linked to LGBTQIA+ activitie, which the proposed legislation seeks to prohibit.

Data-Driven Prevention

John Eliasu Mahama, the Acting Director of Policy and Planning at the Commission, clarified that the items are procured by the Ministry of Health and distributed to the general public based on public health data. He emphasized that the supply is a standard intervention used to reduce the transmission of HIV across all demographics.

According to Mr Mahama, commodities such as antiretroviral medicines (ARVs), condoms, and test kits receive the bulk of donor funding because they are proven to be effective.

He noted that condoms and lubricants are widely used in heterosexual relationships and among vulnerable groups, such as sex workers. He credited these interventions with helping to reduce HIV prevalence within certain high-risk populations from 17 percent a decade ago to 4.7 percent today.

International Support and Sovereignty

The Director and Advisor on Human Rights in Parliament, Dr Isaac Annan, supported the Commission’s stance, arguing that public health interventions should not be conflated with the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.

Dr Annan pointed to the role of international partners, including the Global Fund, which provides financial support for malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV programmes.

He maintained that accepting this support for public health initiatives does not undermine Ghana’s national sovereignty or dictate domestic values.

"If the Global Fund is giving Ghana money... it supports malaria, TB, and even key populations," Dr Annan stated. "But for public health, it is not promoting [a specific agenda]."

The commission reiterated that its primary focus remains the stabilization of HIV rates through established, evidence-based methods accessible to all Ghanaians.