News / Health
'No circumcision for HIV+ men'
22 Apr 2014 at 08:07hrs | Views
The government-run National Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programme has ruled-out the nip for HIV-positive men owing to limited resources.
Rudo Chikodzore, Matabeleland South provincial medical director, said HIV-positive men can still be circumcised outside the national programme, at a fee.
"Remember VMMC is centred particularly on preventing negative people from acquiring the HIV virus," Chikodzore said during a recent media training workshop organised by Population Services International Zimbabwe.
"It is for us to be able to achieve the goal of circumcising 80 percent of HIV negative men by 2017.
"What we have done is, for those HIV-positive men who still want to be circumcised can get it at our hospitals and clinics, since it is being offered at the same sites. They have the equipment and can be booked there. Remember we are saying VMMC is being offered in district hospitals which were already offering circumcisions for other reasons. For resources that are available, they are for (HIV) negative men."
Government is racing to meet the target in the remaining three years with reports indicating that the uptake of VMMC still stands at 4,8 percent since the programme started in 2009.
If the target is achieved, the country is set to save $2,9 billion dollars in care costs related to HIV management.
Chikodzore said including HIV-positive men will automatically translate to increased costs in caring for the wounds.
"If we are to circumcise the positive, we will not be able reach our goal," she said.
"The other problem, particularly on mobile set-ups, is we normally expect them to heal in six weeks but basically with suppressed immune systems, HIV positive men may not heal in time."
If at least 80 percent of men aged between 15 and 49 are circumcised by 2017, 600 000 new infections could be averted by 2025.
At least 42 percent of all averted new infections would be directly attributable to male circumcision.
Zimbabwe, being among the 14 high priority countries in Africa with a 15 percent national HIV prevalence rate, opted to go the circumcision route after a study found that the procedure reduced the chances of contracting HIV by 60 percent.
However, uptake has been slow as many men were succumbing to myths and fear of the knife.
Stakeholders are now looking at new devices such as pre-pex, a method which enables non-surgical medical male circumcision, to promote the dreaded procedure in Zimbabwe.
Last year, 112 000 men were circumcised against a national target of 115 000. This year the country intends to circumcise 217 800 men.
Other benefits of VMMC include hygiene, reduced chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer.
Country specific studies have shown that if the set targets are to be achieved in Zimbabwe, one in every four men will be prevented from contracting HIV.
With a 20 million circumcision target, the 14 high priority countries have so far circumcised 6 million men in total.
Rudo Chikodzore, Matabeleland South provincial medical director, said HIV-positive men can still be circumcised outside the national programme, at a fee.
"Remember VMMC is centred particularly on preventing negative people from acquiring the HIV virus," Chikodzore said during a recent media training workshop organised by Population Services International Zimbabwe.
"It is for us to be able to achieve the goal of circumcising 80 percent of HIV negative men by 2017.
"What we have done is, for those HIV-positive men who still want to be circumcised can get it at our hospitals and clinics, since it is being offered at the same sites. They have the equipment and can be booked there. Remember we are saying VMMC is being offered in district hospitals which were already offering circumcisions for other reasons. For resources that are available, they are for (HIV) negative men."
Government is racing to meet the target in the remaining three years with reports indicating that the uptake of VMMC still stands at 4,8 percent since the programme started in 2009.
If the target is achieved, the country is set to save $2,9 billion dollars in care costs related to HIV management.
Chikodzore said including HIV-positive men will automatically translate to increased costs in caring for the wounds.
"If we are to circumcise the positive, we will not be able reach our goal," she said.
If at least 80 percent of men aged between 15 and 49 are circumcised by 2017, 600 000 new infections could be averted by 2025.
At least 42 percent of all averted new infections would be directly attributable to male circumcision.
Zimbabwe, being among the 14 high priority countries in Africa with a 15 percent national HIV prevalence rate, opted to go the circumcision route after a study found that the procedure reduced the chances of contracting HIV by 60 percent.
However, uptake has been slow as many men were succumbing to myths and fear of the knife.
Stakeholders are now looking at new devices such as pre-pex, a method which enables non-surgical medical male circumcision, to promote the dreaded procedure in Zimbabwe.
Last year, 112 000 men were circumcised against a national target of 115 000. This year the country intends to circumcise 217 800 men.
Other benefits of VMMC include hygiene, reduced chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer.
Country specific studies have shown that if the set targets are to be achieved in Zimbabwe, one in every four men will be prevented from contracting HIV.
With a 20 million circumcision target, the 14 high priority countries have so far circumcised 6 million men in total.
Source - dailynews
