However, the doctor must do a medical workup to make sure that the patient really suffers from impotence and does not also have heart disease or hypertension. If he takes certain drugs, such as nitroglycerin, Viagra could be dangerous. The U.S. has recorded over 70 deaths related to Viagra.

A minority of healthy men complain of headaches, temporary changes in color vision, and other side effects after taking Viagra. Women who have been unaccustomed to sex could develop vaginal and urinary infections when their partners suddenly become potent, doctors warn.

Although some men are reportedly ready to sue the Health Ministry to get Viagra included in the basket of health services, the ministry is reluctant, given the precarious state of the public health system's finances.

The price, set by the Health Ministry, is about $12.75 per pill compared to $10 per pill in the United States.