Circumcision sites risk early closure

Voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) site at Mwanza District Hospital risks closure today if authorities do not supply it with basic medical materials for VMMC, The Nation has learnt.

During a media tour to the site on Thursday organised by Ministry of Health, 17 days since the circumcision campaign, funded by World Bank through National Aids Commission (NAC) began, The Nation established that the site was yet to receive medical materials such as Iodine, pain killers, bandages and gloves.

Mwanza VMMC coordinator Geoffrey Kumpama said they are using materials sourced from Mwanza District Hospital, but are facing resistance from the authorities because they have few resources as well.

He said: “Looking at the situation, we might close by Tuesday if we do not get our consignment for the VMMC.

“Our main challenge is that we do not have most of the medical materials because we are yet to be given our own supplies. We have been helped by the district hospital from the beginning, but the hospital too is running short of most of the medical materials we need.”

Kunenekude VMMC Site, located 20 kilometres from Mwanza Boma, is also facing a similar challenge as it has not received most of the medical materials needed for VMMC.

But the site manager, Bannet Kalombo, said Kunenekude Health Centre has been supplying them with enough materials.

He said: “The health centre has made sure that we do not close for lack of these. We have been operating normally and I am optimistic that we will finish without hindrances.”

However, the development has created fears that this can affect the hospital’s medical budget if VMMC sites continue to rely on hospitals for most medical materials.

Despite the irregularities, the exercise is registering a high turnout in the district’s three sites of Thambani, Kunenekude and Mwanza District Hospital. n