They promise improved sexual performance and renewed vitality, but across Ghana, unregulated sexual enhancement products are quietly flooding markets and street corners. With little oversight and no clear data on the number of users, health experts warn that these so-called natural remedies may be exposing consumers to serious health risks. From Arogra 300 and AK47 for Men to Hip Up Syrups, the list seems endless.
In recent years, Ghana’s markets have seen a rapid rise in unregulated herbal enhancement products, boldly advertised with promises of improved pleasure and vitality. Yet behind the glossy labels and bold claims lies a growing public health concern.
Many of these products, though marketed as natural and harmless, are poorly regulated and inadequately scrutinised. Health authorities warn that cases of adulteration and contamination are increasingly common. With a significant number of users consuming these remedies without any knowledge of their origins or ingredients, the risk of adverse health effects continues to rise.
There is no nationally representative official data on the proportion of Ghanaians who patronise herbal sexual enhancement products. This lack of information, coupled with weak enforcement, not only threatens consumer safety but also undermines the credibility of traditional medicine in Ghana highlighting the urgent need for stronger regulation and oversight.
Interactions with a cross-section of Ghanaians reveal that many users are reluctant to admit to using sexual enhancement products, citing stigma and the discreet manner in which the products are sold.
“They know it is illegal so you will hardly see them with the products, they even sell it at the pharmacies but find a way to hide it”, Emmanuel Kojo Awuku, an okada rider noted.
“I have a friend who mostly uses it, he confessed to me that he is a one minute man and anytime he uses it, it works for him”, Kingsley Kwabena Baah also said.
At Circle in Accra, a known hub for the sale of these products, attempts to engage vendors were met with resistance. Some openly hawking the products drove the team away, with one woman warning, “If my suppliers see me speaking to you, they will stop selling to me.”
After several hours, I met Francis Abass, who says he has sold herbal medicines and roots for nearly 18 years.
“I have become popular among people because of this job. I have gotten money as well from this business”, he indicated.
He insists his products are approved by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA). According to him, the business is lucrative, as most of the products purchased daily are aphrodisiacs.
“People are often shy to approach my stall because of stigma but find ways to do business with me regardless. The medicine they patronize the most is for big manhood”, he disclosed.
He argues that government must empower genuine herbal vendors by clamping down on imposters whose activities tarnish the image of the herbal medicine market.
“The government is trying its best to regulate our operations but unscrupulous persons are infiltrating the system with unapproved products’, he said.
The Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) the body mandated to regulate, promote, and ensure standards in traditional and alternative medicine admits that efforts to curb the sale of unregulated products have become a vicious cycle.
Head of Compliance, Enforcement and Inspection at TMPC, Michael Lawson, showed the team sacks of confiscated products yet to be sent to the FDA for testing. Many bore no expiry dates, dosage instructions, or visible FDA approval just faith.
Acting Registrar of TMPC, Yakubu Tobor Yusuf, explained how consumers can identify fake products on the market and encouraged the public to alert the council’s compliance task force. He also outlined ongoing efforts to collaborate with border security agencies and the police to expand the reach of enforcement exercises.
“We are doubling down on a national compliance activities, we started with Accra and we will be moving to other regions. People who deal in it should understand that it’s a criminal offence and if you’re caught you can be jailed for two years depending on the severity of the crime, he warned.
But how far can one bottle really go?
Medical Herbal Officer at the Lekma Hospital, Dr. Sandra Ashong, warns that organ damage, hormonal imbalance, and long-term health complications are real risks associated with unapproved sexual enhancement products.
“For every original there is a fake and the fake products can have severe side effects on the brain and the heart. If you have underlying condtions like hypertension and diabetes’, she warned.
She urged the public to seek prescriptions from qualified health practitioners before purchasing any sexual enhancement products.
“Kindly seek guidance and prescription from a health profession before taking any of these”, she advised.
The Food and Drugs Authority has identified most of the products cited in this report as fake and unapproved. Head of the Foreign Herbal Unit at the FDA, Yvonne Boateng insists that only FDA-approved herbal medicines are safe for consumption and advises consumers to look out for proper labelling and registration numbers.
“The FDA admonishes consumers to ensure that whenever they are buying herbal medicines they should look out for labels and registration numbers indicating that they are approved by the FDA”.
The pursuit for instant pleasure and desire, the fate of most people who patronize these products are left up to these mysterious mixtures.
One question remains, can regulatory bodies ensure that these products are regulated and refined to meet the required standard. Time and action will tell.
Citinewsroom
