With observed decreased donor support for health programmes, the Kavango West Directorate of Health and Social Services is hosting a two-week workshop on male circumcision to strengthen local ownership.
Voluntary medical male circumcision remains one of the evidence-based interventions in the prevention of HIV transmission and the promotion of men's sexual and reproductive health.
In recent years, the uptake of male circumcision has increased due to advanced medical intervention, unlike in the past, where it was mostly performed traditionally.
The Director of Health in the Kavango West Region, Franciska Hamutenya, explained.
“The month of June has been declared Men's Mental Health Awareness Month; hence, this training comes at the right time. With the decrease of donor support in all health programmes, it is very much imperative that we start taking ownership of the programme to fill the gaps. After withdrawal of donor funding and to ensure continuity of services, one off-site programme that needs to be strengthened in our region and in our facilities is the VMMC programme, hence the reason as to why you are here today.”
Hamutenya stressed that the demand for male circumcision has increased in the region as many communities have become aware of the need for such services.
In the month of May, a total of 134 males in the region have been circumcised.
Chief Health Programme Officer for VMMC Gabriel Vasconcelho also gave an overview of the training.
“At the end of the training, we expect the participants to take the knowledge that we have instilled in them and deliver the quality services that are safe, because as I said, we are scaling up access and also trying to cut down the cost that the patients or the clients have to travel to get the service. I'm encouraging my fellow men to please visit the facilities, whether it's for blood pressure and blood sugar check-ups or even if it's an HIV test, so that if there is any ailment, there can be any detection instead of coming to the facility when the condition is in a progressive state.”