Tag: VMMC

Governments should take ownership of VMMC programs says AVAC

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa To ensure the sustainability of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programs in the face of dwindling donor support and donor fatigue, African governments have been urged to fund and promote VMMC programs. Since VMMC was recommended by WHO and the UNAIDS in 2007 as key to HIV prevention in high prevalence settings, about 35 million men have accessed services across 15 VMMC priority countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. However, since inception, VMMC programs have been largely financed by donors and Multilateral funding agencies amidst indications that…

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Male circumcisions disrupted by COVID-19, fall short of the 2020 target

Healthtimes

In areas with high HIV prevalence and low rates of male circumcision, voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) can greatly contribute to HIV prevention. Despite this, there was a steep drop in the number of VMMCs performed in the 15 priority countries in 2020, due mainly to service disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: approximately 2.8 million procedures were performed in 2020, compared with 4.1 million in 2019. Several countries suspended their programmes when the pandemic took hold, including South Africa. Despite this, programmes in some countries proved resilient enough to recover…

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Zimbabwe’s 2020 Global AIDS Monitoring Report Shows Progress In Bending AIDS Trajectory

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE has released its 2020 Global AIDS Monitoring (GAM) report which shows that the country is itching closer to epidemic control despite a myriad of challenges threatening to reverse the gains achieved so far, chief among them being the COVID-19 pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa Addressing a Press Conference where he presented on GAM and progress made so far, National AIDS Council (NAC) Chief Executive Officer, Dr Benard Madzima said the country achieved tits 90-9090 targets and the results from the GAM estimates also tallies with the ZIMPHIA results that were…

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Condom Use Declines Among Zim Sex Workers As Country Misses 2020 Condom Distribution Target

Michael Gwarisa

A total 83 million male condoms and 2.9 million female condoms were distributed in the year 2020, which is a far cry from the 100 million for men and 5.5 million that had been targeted for women during the year. By Michael Gwarisa The target misses were largely attributed to service disruption due to Covid-19. The 2020 figures were the lowest compared to the previous three years. The decline in condom distribution also affected uptake and use of condoms by Female Sex Workers and other HIV high risk groups. Presenting…

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Zim Misses Male Circumcision Target By 81.1 % Due To COVID-19 in 2020

Michael Gwarisa

THE national Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) missed its target of circumcising 412,000 men in 2020 and only managed to circumcise 78,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which derailed all circumcision efforts countrywide due to tight restrictions on movement. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe adopted VMMC as one of its main HIV prevention strategies for men in 2008 with studies having shown that the practice can help reduce HIV transmission in men by about 60%. To date, over 2 million men have been circumcised in Zimbabwe since the commencement of the…

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Zim Readies Global Fund Proposal

Healthtimes

WITH Zimbabwe’s Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) approving the proposed budget outline, the country should submit its proposal for the Global Fund grant by March 23, 2020, HealthTimes has learned. By Kudakwashe Pembere In an update for the country concept note development for the Global Fund To Fight TB, HIV and Malaria Grant 2021 to 2023 seen by this publication, the final draft should be undergoing review starting March. The writing exercise is on-going, with the country expected to submit the proposal on the 23rd March 2020, with the…

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Gvt Takes Over Circumcision Program

NewsRoom

[dropcap]T[/dropcap][dropcap]HE[/dropcap] Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) together with the Population Services International (PSI) have come up with a Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) sustainability transition implementation plan (STIP) that will see government taking over implementation and programing of the project in both scale up and maintenance districts by the year 2021. By Michael Gwarisa Under the new framework, VMMC programing and implementation will move from a vertical heavily partner and donor supported programme to a more locally-owned and managed intervention. The decision comes at the back of a…

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PSI Surpasses 2018 Vmmc Target in Mazowe

NewsRoom

POPULATION Services International (PSI), has registered increased uptake of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (Vmmc) services in Mazowe District,  Mashonaland central, at the back of increased community engagements and sensitization programs. By Michael Gwarisa recently in Mvurwi The province is one of the red zones in terms of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) prevalence owing to massive mining activities and tobacco farming which push young people into risky sexual behaviour. Mashonaland Central provincial field manager, Mrs Joy Chikwena said despite having set the highest target for Mazowe, the district had surpassed its…

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Zim Launches Prep Strategy…Program targets key populations

NewsRoom

ZIMBABWE has launched Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) strategy for 2018 up to 2020 which is aimed at scaling up uptake of the PrEP drug amongst key populations and those at high risk of contracting HIV. By Michael Gwarisa Launching the strategy document, Health and Child Care minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa said Zimbabwe still faced a huge HIV challenge as it is still recording incidence around 32 000 people every year hence the need to increase prevention mechanisms. “Now I am proud to emphasise that we have successfully managed to reduce…

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