Dr. Benson Kibore Wants Irreversible Erectile Dysfunction Classified as Disability to Restore Dignity to Kenyan Men
Dr. Kibore said his proposal is aimed at restoring dignity to millions of men who suffer in silence and ensuring they get access to proper medical care without shame or financial barriers.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Mercy Otieno
A Kenyan doctor is pushing for a major shift in how the country defines disability, calling on Parliament to recognize irreversible erectile dysfunction (ED) as a form of disability.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday, Dr. Benson Kibore said Kenya urgently needs an open, stigma-free national conversation on men’s sexual health, arguing that erectile dysfunction has been neglected for too long despite its profound impact on physical health, mental well-being, and family stability.
Dr. Kibore said his proposal is aimed at restoring dignity to millions of men who suffer in silence and ensuring they get access to proper medical care without shame or financial barriers. He questioned the inconsistency in how disability is defined under current law.
“When you have a cut finger, it’s a disability. When you have a shorter hand, it’s a disability. When you have a leg that has been injured, it’s a disability. This is a very important machine that needs to be protected… Why is it not a disability to have a failing engine?” he posed during the interview.
According to Dr. Kibore, he has formally petitioned Parliament to amend the Persons with Disabilities Act to include irreversible erectile dysfunction. As part of his petition, he is also calling on the Social Health Authority (SHA) to include comprehensive diagnosis, investigations and treatment for ED under its coverage.
He emphasized that erectile dysfunction should not be dismissed as merely a sexual problem. In many cases, he said, it is an early warning sign of more serious underlying conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances and psychological distress.
Citing available data, Dr. Kibore noted that erectile dysfunction affects about 10 percent of men globally, with prevalence rising sharply with age. In Nairobi, he said, approximately one in ten young men is affected, a figure he described as worrying and largely hidden due to stigma.
“What I’m seeking here… is that we have a conversation as a country… so that we give dignity back to the men and also to the women,” he said.
Dr. Kibore warned that untreated ED has far-reaching consequences beyond the individual, placing enormous strain on marriages and relationships. He urged couples to seek medical evaluation together rather than viewing the condition as normal, inevitable, or a source of blame.
“God did not destine people to have a sexless marriage. It is not. What we are saying is just simple: What are the underlying issues that we need to ascertain?” he added.
The urologist and men’s health advocate said many men avoid hospitals because of embarrassment, resorting to unregulated herbal remedies or remaining silent, which often worsens both the physical condition and the associated mental health burden, including anxiety and depression.
He concluded with a direct appeal to lawmakers and health policymakers to treat men’s reproductive health as a public health and family issue.
“Family is the basic unit of the state… On behalf of all the 30 million men in Kenya, who either have ED or are potential ED, we have to protect them, because there cannot be families without men. I expect Parliament to rise to the occasion,” he stated.
If adopted, the proposal would mark one of the first times in Africa that irreversible erectile dysfunction is legally recognized as a disability, a move Dr. Kibore says would not only unlock medical support but also help dismantle decades of stigma around men’s health.
About Author
