Acute condom shortage linked to donor cuts, raising sex risk fears
Health & Science
By
Mercy Kahenda
| Feb 17, 2026
There are growing fears of a rise in HIV and other sexually transmitted infections as the country runs out of condoms.
Shortage of condoms risks unprotected sex amid increased HIV infections in the country.
Individuals, particularly sex workers who are at high risk of being infected with the virus, are now forced to purchase the commodity, which is selling at exorbitant prices.
Beatrice Sudi* buys a packet of condoms every day, an extra cost she never used to worry about. Previously, the sex worker would easily walk into Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centres and pick several packets for free. But now, supply is limited.
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Without condoms, her safety is compromised, and the only alternative is to lower her charges to clients if they do buy condoms, something she is unwilling to do. “When clients buy condoms, they deduct pay for sex work. It hurts to lose money just because of a condom,” says the sex worker.
She adds, “I do sex work for a living, but my work is compromised without access to condoms, which forces us at times to indulge in unprotected sex.”
Sudi’s frustrations are shared nationwide, as sex workers warn that the disruption in condom and PrEP supply is increasing risks of new HIV infections.
Sharon Lorna, a peer educator in Mombasa, noted that VCT dispensers remain empty, leaving sex workers exposed.“For safety of sex workers, we normally pick condoms and distribute to hot spot areas, but we do not have the commodities, risking infections,” she says.
VCT centres, which were once consistently stocked with free condoms, are now struggling to meet the demand, leaving sex workers grappling with the extra burden of purchasing the essential commodity.
A spot check by The Standard in respective VCT centres that used to be pick-up points shows them empty.
Commercial condoms now sell for between Sh50 and Sh1,000 depending on the brand.
Kenya previously received 180 million condoms annually from the Global Fund and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), worth Sh25.4 billion, but the supply has stopped. Health officials maintain limited distribution to high-risk groups only. Experts emphasise the need to re-educate the general population on safe sex practices, particularly college students, and encourage alternatives like purchasing condoms and enrolling in medical insurance.
A commodity status report by the Ministry of Health in November 2025 showed shortages of both male and female condoms. Kenya consumes 31,067 female and 1,065,891 male condoms monthly but needs 450 million annually. Procurement challenges have arisen due to funding gaps and restrictions, including the cessation of support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Kenya Red Cross Society.
Correct and consistent condom use provides up to 95 per cent protection against HIV, other STIs, and unintended pregnancy, according to the National Syndemic Disease Control Council (NSDCC).
The council, therefore, acknowledges the importance of ensuring every sexually active person in Kenya has access to a sustained supply of quality condoms, correct knowledge, skills, and motivation to use them correctly and consistently.
Data from NSDCC shows 19,991 new HIV infections in 2024, a 19 per cent increase from 16,752 in 2023. Children aged 0 to 14 accounted for 4,349 infections, while 32 per cent of all new infections occurred among adolescents and young people aged 10 to 24. Ten counties, including Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Kiambu, accounted for 60 per cent of new infections.
Prof Koigi Kamau of the University of Nairobi’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology warned that condom shortage risks infections with other STIs such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhoea. “Chlamydia can cause permanent reproductive damage, including infertility. Condom use is essential for protection against multiple infections,” he said.