Male circumcision vital to HIV prevention strategy
RUNDU – Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula says voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is an integral part of Namibia’s HIV prevention strategy and has thus called upon men to get a “smart cut” in order to reduce the risk of contracting HIV.
The VMMC clinic was funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (Pepfar) at a
cost of nearly N$1 million.
The health minister made the remarks during the official opening of a new prefabricated VMMC clinic building at Rundu on Friday.
According to the health minister, it has been established medically that voluntary medical male circumcision reduces heterosexual male vulnerability to HIV infection by approximately 60% and this effect lasts a lifetime.
“It is for this reason that voluntary medical mal e circumcision is an integral part of our HIV prevention strategy,” he said.
The implementation of voluntary medical mal e circumcision at Run du Intermediate Hospital was beset by challenges of space and privacy.
These challenges did not inspire men to seek and obtain this service, which forced the health ministry to approach developmental partners for assistance.
The VMMC clinic is structurally and functionally integrated with the primary health care clinic and the ART clinic, which makes coordination and referrals easy. It now provides a conducive environment for counselling and for surgical procedures.
“I therefore invite men in this region and beyond to make use of these services,” Shangula said.
The VMMC clinic is found just as one enters the Rundu Intermediate Hospital yard next to the PHC clinic.