HARARE - The government-initiated male circumcision programme has been faced with a critical human resource constraint with only 104 doctors having been trained to do the operations. Updating stakeholders on the achievements of the programme since its initiation, Ministry of Health and Child Welfare National HIV Prevention Coordinator, Getrude Ncube, said there was a low uptake by the few doctors who were trained to do the operations.
The program has been faced by a human resource problem, especially a shortage of doctors, counsellors and nurses. There is low buy-in by staff not involved because of poor remuneration and we are urging the responsible authorities to offer incentives to health workers involved in the programme, she said.
She also revealed that 6500 males had been circumcised so far, with the eldest being a 70-year-old man.
University of Zimbabwe College of Health Science lecturer, Professor S Rusakaniko, said there was need for the inclusion of circumcision operations in the medicine training curriculum as prioritizing the few doctors would paralyze the health sector.
We need to demystify it and make sure that its part of our training in the curriculum of the medical school because if we say those who are carrying out circumcision should be rewarded we will be killing the health sector, he recommended.
The government is hoping to reach 80 per cent of 15-29 year old HIV negative men by 2015 as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention programme.
Post published in: Analysis