By Juliet Umeh

To ensure a healthier future for men across Africa, global healthcare company Viatris has launched its EmpowerED for Life campaign to tackle the stigma surrounding erectile dysfunction, ED.

The campaign encourages men to seek safe, professional medical support and aims to raise awareness, break the silence around men’s health, and promote open conversations about ED, which can be a symptom of deeper health concerns such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

At the virtual launch, Arvind Kanda, Viatris’ Head of India & Access Markets, said: “The EmpowerED for Life campaign seeks to shift the narrative around ED from stigma to support by fostering open conversations, promoting accurate information, and advocating for early diagnosis and proper treatment.”  The campaign was unveiled during a Pan-African webinar attended by healthcare professionals, policymakers, media, and men’s health advocates. The event highlighted ED’s widespread impact on physical, emotional, and relational wellbeing.

According to the British Journal of Urology International, ED is projected to affect 322 million men globally by 2025. In Nigeria, prevalence rates range from 43.8 percent to 58.9, while in Ghana about 65.9 per cent of men, including younger individuals, are affected. Alarmingly, 85 per cent of African men with ED do not seek treatment.

Kanda noted that the campaign will run in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and South Africa, Dr. Nnabugwu Ikenna Ifeanyi, Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Nigeria said:“ED reflects broader health issues and can have serious emotional and relational consequences.