What you need to know:
Globally, it is thought that about 322 million men were grappling with ED in 2025. In Uganda, a 47.8 percent rate has been recorded among rural populations, with another 17.6 percent reported among adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive men in 2024. ED is, however, often under-diagnosed and under-treated in the country.
If only walls could talk, we probably could have been able to experience the innumerable stories, secrets, history, and an amalgam of events Ugandan men are increasingly struggling to navigate due to erectile dysfunction (ED). Many have turned to Viagra and other non-formal sexual enhancements, including illegal concoctions, due to the pressure to keep up their sexual performance and prove their masculinity.
ED is the inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance, or a condition in which a man is unable to get or keep an erection firm enough for satisfactory sexual intercourse. The condition can severely impact men’s quality of life, leading to low self-esteem, psychological distress, and increased substance abuse, also affecting their partners.