By KUWEMA MUJINGA –
THE Ministry of Health has launched a campaign to have more than 200,000 males circumcised by the end of this year.
This is under a programme dubbed ‘National Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision’ (VMMC) launched in Lusaka yesterday by Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya.
Dr Chilufya said this was part of the ministry’s 2016-2020 operational plan to avert 380, 000 infections by the year 2030 and in turn save an expected US$250 million in treatment costs.
“The October–December National Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision aims to achieve a target of circumcising over 200, 000 males by the end of this year,” Dr Chilufya said.
In a speech read for him by Lusaka Province clinical care specialist Wajirovya Chirambo, Dr Chilufya said the 2016-2020 VMMC national operation plan had a goal of making high quality and safe male circumcision services available to all HIV-negative males.
He said the aim was to achieve male circumcision prevalence of 90 per cent by 2020 and the overall goal to see zero new HIV infections.
“From the 2016 target of circumcising 419,097 men and boys, 153,000 men were circumcised by August, which translated into 36 per cent of the target,” he said.
Dr Chilufya said the media should take it upon itself to know the benefits and limitations of male circumcision so as to actively create awareness among the people.
“Misinformation about male circumcision is still common in our communities. We need to dispel myths that male circumcision can prevent pregnancy, cause impotence or erectile dysfunction and cure a man who is HIV positive,” he said.
VMMC services will be available at Chawama and Kamulanga clinics in Lusaka after the programme had been launched.