By: Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, May 20, Mana: Over 20,000 men more especially the youth between the age of 15-25 years in Lilongwe have been circumcised between the month of April and June, 2024.

The development was revealed on Wednesday during the supervision of Dolo Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) campaign that was conducted by Lilongwe District Council Officials and Jhpiego, an organization affiliated to John Hopkins.

Community Mobilization and Communication Officer for Dolo VMMC project, Dave Nkombezi said the figures are a clear indication that several men more especially the youth have now realized the importance of VMMC.

“We are happy and encouraged with the overwhelming figures that we are registering in out clinics. In this quarter, our target is to reach out to 22,700 men, but as of now, we have already circumcised 19,200 men which is a very big achievement,” he said

Lumbadzi Clinic VMMC Provider, Dennick Chanza said on average the clinic circumcise 200 men of which many of them they seek the services on their own without waiting for the VMMC campaigns.

“Just in the month of May, we circumcised 433 men which is quite encouraging,” he said

One of the circumcised youth, Abel Mbewe said many youths have embraced the VMMC because they have known the importance of being circumcised.

“Apart from protecting men from getting HIV during sexual intercourse, the initiative is assisting in protecting our partners [girl friends or wives] from getting cervical cancer which is being spread by Papilloma virus that hides in the foreskin of male organ,” he pointed out.

Dolo Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) project is funded by US Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through Centres for Disease Control (CDC) implemented by Jhpiego and Lilongwe District Health Office.