As East and Southern Africa (ESA) continues its determined march toward ending AIDS by 2030, a new and often overlooked challenge is emerging: the rising cost of condoms. For a region that carries the largest share of the global HIV burden, this development is more than an economic concern; it is a serious public health risk that threatens to reverse hard-won gains in the region.
Condoms remain one of the most accessible, affordable, and effective tools in preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. For decades, governments, civil society, and development partners have invested heavily in ensuring that condoms are widely available, particularly to adolescents, young people, and other vulnerable populations. However, global supply chain disruptions and increased manufacturing costs are now driving up prices, placing this critical prevention tool further out of reach.
For many countries in ESA, condom access is sustained through public sector distribution and donor-funded social marketing programs. When prices increase, these systems face immediate strain. Governments are forced to procure fewer supplies, while NGOs must scale back outreach efforts. The result is a dangerous gap in availability, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access is already limited.
This challenge is compounded by an existing decline in condom distribution across several countries in the region. Reduced funding, shifting donor priorities, and competing health emergencies have already weakened prevention programmes. Rising prices now risk accelerating this downward trend, at a time when consistency in prevention efforts is most critical.
The implications are clear. Reduced access leads to reduced use. Reduced use inevitably increases the risk of HIV transmission, particularly among populations that are already disproportionately affected. Adolescents and young people, who often face barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health services, are especially vulnerable. So too are key populations who rely on consistent condom use as a primary means of protection.
Beyond immediate health risks, the long-term consequences are profound. Increased HIV infections place additional strain on already stretched health systems and raise the cost of treatment and care. More importantly, they undermine regional and global commitments to end AIDS as a public health threat.
At the Regional Interagency Task Team on Children and AIDS (RIATT-ESA), we recognize that sustaining progress requires protecting the foundations of HIV prevention. Condom access is not optional; it is essential. Addressing this emerging crisis will require urgent and coordinated action.
First, governments and partners must prioritize sustained financing for condom procurement and distribution. Second, there is a need to explore local and regional manufacturing solutions to reduce dependency on global supply chains. Third, prevention strategies must be diversified while ensuring that condoms remain central, alongside innovations such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Finally, community engagement and youth-led advocacy must be strengthened to ensure that prevention tools remain accessible, acceptable, and widely used.
The path to ending AIDS in ESA is still within reach, but only if we act decisively. Rising condom prices may seem like a distant market issue, but their impact is immediate and deeply felt at the community level. We cannot afford to let this become another barrier in the fight against HIV.
Now is the time to act, to protect access, sustain prevention, and keep the promise of an AIDS-free generation alive.
