Young people are slowly embracing circumcision, Health Ministry says
Over 2,500 people, mostly youth from Jonglei have so far taken up voluntary circumcision.
On Thursday, the state minister of health toured Malual Chat Military Hospital to assess the progress of the exercise.
The Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision programme was rolled out last year as a health mitigating factor. According to research, circumcision can significantly reduce the risk of contracting HIV Aids and other STI related causes by up to 40 per cent.
Bior Alier Aluong, the RTI Clinical Supervisor revealed that the number of those seeking the service have increased significantly in the past weeks.
“We are very happy that people are getting adapted to it because here in the upper Nile region, most of the communities were non-circumcising but they have accepted,” Bior said.
However, Bior added that the RTI programme has also planned to extend the exercise to other parts of the Upper Nile region citing a challenge on mobility.
He stressed that exercise reduces the rate of transmitting sexually transmitted infections or STIs by 60 per cent. He urged the state ministry of health to support the hospital in addressing some of the challenges they face in the work given it is the only referral military hospital in Jonglei state.
He called on the state minister of health to help provide them with the little essential drugs they get from their partners.
“We are requesting your office Hon minister to help us with some essential drugs and if possible let your ministry link us with World Health Organization and other health partners to uplift this hospital. We are facing many challenges like HIV/AIDs prevention,” Lueth said.
He added that the hospital does not only treat military personnel but also handles the communities around the barrack.
The project for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) is supported by the US Department of Defence in collaboration with the Research triangle institute RTI and the ministry of health through the state ministry of health.
