320,000 men undergo voluntary cut in Nyanza

By Nicholas Anyuor

More than 300,000 men in Nyanza have undergone the Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC) in the first phase of the exercise that has covered a period of four years.

The Government is targeting a total of 426,000 men aged between 15 and 49 in the first phase of the exercise that started in 2008 and ends in 2013, in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV and Aids.

Nationally, 395,500 men and boys have undergone the cut, with Nyanza forming the bulk of this with 320,000.

Similarly, Nyanza Provincial Task Force on Male Circumcision and other partners have come up with new strategies that will make VMMC more accessible to those aged 25 and above at the workplaces and weekend camps.

The Provincial Director of Public Health and Sanitation, Jackson Kioko, said the Government has witnessed progress and that the target is likely to be met by end of next year as was scheduled.

“To achieve this, we recognise the need to reach more older men, particularly those older than 25 years, who are most likely to be sexually active and therefore most at risk of HIV infection,” said Dr Kioko.

Concerns

He, however, cited concerns on misinformation about the VMMC. He said in some cases, men overestimate the length of the recovery period and underestimate the partners’ willingness to support them during the six-week healing period.

“I urge men who have been circumcised under the VMMC programme to speak out about their experiences,” he said.

Recommendations in support of the VMMC for HIV prevention were released five years ago by the World Health Organisation and UNAids.

The programme was then rolled in 14 priority countries in Eastern and Southern Africa where over one million men have availed themselves for the cut, according to the Nyanza Provincial Newsletter on VMMC.

Kenya has been in the forefront, with follow-up studies revealing that the risk of HIV spread has been reduced by 67 per cent after 4.5 years and by 73 per cent after 4.8 years in Uganda.

The national prevalence stands at   6.2 per cent with more than 1.6 million people living with the HIV. An estimated 49,126 people died of HIV and Aids-related causes last year.