Kenyan Doctor Wants Sexual Dysfunction Recognised as a Disability

Parliament has been petitioned to recognise chronic sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction and hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), as a disability under Kenyan law.

Dr Benson Kibore, who filed the petition, says sexual dysfunction can have serious effects on mental health, family stability and reproductive wellbeing. He is calling for changes to existing laws to ensure affected people can access treatment and other forms of support.

Dr Kibore cited research on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction among younger men. A 2026 study by Onyango et al., published on medRxiv, found that more than 10 per cent of men in Nairobi County, with an average age of 27, reported difficulties with sexual performance.

The findings challenge the traditional view that sexual dysfunction is mainly associated with ageing and suggest that younger men are also affected. The petition links untreated sexual dysfunction to marital dissatisfaction, emotional distance, family breakdown and spousal infidelity. It also notes that some affected individuals may avoid intimacy by staying away from home, disrupting household routines and creating emotional strain within families.

Dr Kibore argues that these effects make sexual dysfunction a wider public health concern rather than solely a private matter. If Parliament approves the proposal, changes would be required to existing legal and health frameworks. The Persons with Disabilities Act would have to be amended to include clinically diagnosed chronic sexual dysfunction among recognised disabilities.

The proposed changes could also make affected individuals eligible for tax exemptions administered through the National Council for Persons with Disabilities and the Kenya Revenue Authority. The Social Health Insurance Act would similarly need to be amended to require the Social Health Authority to cover counselling, assessment and medical treatment for sexual dysfunction.

The cost of treatment is another concern raised in the petition. Consultation fees at private hospitals can start at about Sh5,000, while advanced procedures, including penile surgery, can cost more than Sh1 million. Dr Kibore argues that these costs put treatment beyond the reach of many Kenyans and can discourage people from seeking medical assistance. 

He says formal recognition of sexual dysfunction as a disability could improve access to treatment while reducing the stigma associated with the conditions. The petition also highlights links between sexual health and wider physical and mental wellbeing. Some studies have reported associations between libido and cardiovascular health, while HSDD has been linked to psychiatric conditions.

Dr Kibore says addressing sexual dysfunction could therefore have broader public health benefits and provide further grounds for policy reform.