Davison Kaiyo warns Zimbabwe against street sex enhancer trade

Zimbabwe’s streets are swimming in unregistered sex enhancers, and health officials are worried that desperation, easy access, and zero regulation are quietly lining up the next public health mess.

Why health officials are uneasy

• Authorities say the trade in sex-enhancing drugs is exploding fast.
• Most of the products are unregistered and untested.
• The concern is less about morality and more about safety.

Where the drugs are coming from

• Many of the products are reportedly imported from Zambia.
• Others are said to originate in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• None of the products cleared through formal medical channels.

What Harare looks like right now

• The streets of Harare are flooded with these drugs.
• Shops are selling them openly.
• Street corners, shopping centres, and nightlife spots are part of the supply chain.

How social media fits in

• Facebook is being used to advertise the products.
• Sellers promote them with bold claims and testimonials.
• Regulation stops at the screen.

The product everyone keeps naming

• One of the most pushed items is X-Drive Male Support.
• It is widely marketed despite lacking approval.
• Its popularity has made it a street staple.

How the sales actually happen

• An insider described sales happening inside nightclubs.
• The drugs are not sold over the bar.
• Waitresses quietly handle the transactions.

Why men are buying them

• Sellers lean heavily on performance stories.
• Aging and anxiety are major drivers.
• Desperation often overrides caution.

How demand keeps growing

• Performance concerns are common among older men.
• The issue is deeply sensitive and personal.
• That vulnerability fuels a booming informal market.

The business side of it

• Demand is described as consistently high.
• Some sellers now make a full living from these products.
• Performance-boosting coffees are also part of the mix.

What regulators are saying

• The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe has raised the alarm.
• Spokesperson Davison Kaiyo said safety cannot be guaranteed.
• Unregistered drugs mean unknown risks.

Why registration matters

• Without approval, there is no quality control.
• Ingredients are not verified.
• Side effects are unpredictable.

Doctors are already seeing damage

• Local doctor Misheck Ruwende warned of serious health risks.
• Vital organs like the kidneys, liver, and heart are affected.
• The damage is not theoretical.

The drug doctors keep mentioning

• PowerPlus has been linked to severe reactions.
• Some men suffered prolonged, painful erections.
• Others reported extreme headaches and heart issues.

The most serious outcomes

• Heart attacks have been recorded.
• There is no reliable dosage guidance.
• Reversing the effects is often impossible.

Deaths linked to misuse

• At least three men reportedly died in Chipinge.
• They did not know how to dose themselves.
• The products offered no safety margin.

Why could this spiral

• Easy access meets silent shame.
• Regulation is being bypassed completely.
• Health officials fear the worst is still ahead.

The uncomfortable takeaway

• The market is thriving because the need feels urgent.
• Safety is an afterthought.
• What looks like a quick fix is shaping up to be a slow-burning crisis.