The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
POPULATION Services International Zimbabwe has come up with a proposal to ensure the Bulawayo City Council decentralises the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) services to its clinics owing to the increase in uptake.
PSI Zimbabwe has been working in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the local authority to provide VMMC services at selected healthy facilities in the city.
“As Ministry of Health and Child Care moves into sustainability phase and increasing access, PSI Zimbabwe proposes to assist Bulawayo City Council Health Department to increase accessibility to Voluntary Medical (VMMC) services to its residents.
This will go a long way in averting new HIV infections in the city, and reduce the burden of HIV treatment to the City Health Department.
“In view of this, PSI Zimbabwe requests for Bulawayo City Council to provide us with blanket access to all clinics for limited periods per week per clinic (subject to availability of space). Bulawayo City Council provides a room for Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) at the clinics,” read the proposal.
PSI Zimbabwe already operates two static VMMC in the city at the Bulawayo Eye Clinic and Lobengula Clinic and three outreach sites which are Nketa, Pumula and North End clinics.
The organisation said most people who have been circumcised within the two static sites were being transported from different locations which was not only inconvenient but unsustainable in the long term.
PSI Zimbabwe said it will provide circumcising personnel and commodities until Bulawayo City Council personnel are trained to perform the procedure on their own.
It said in case where there are shortages of rooms, they can embark on the programme for limited hours.
PSI Zimbabwe said the local authority will get a reimbursement per client based on the services provided at the clinics, guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care cost reimbursement schedule.
It is proposed that this reimbursement covers for clinic rental and consultation fee.
For using the clinic, including cleaning, council will get $3, HIV testing and counseling 50 cents, clerical work (client registration on client intake form) cents.
For Health Information they will get 50 cents, medicines and commodities management 50 cents, programme support by director’s office $1,50, programme support by district management team, including coordination of community mobilisers $1.
Circumciser (If MC attributable to Bulawayo City Council staff) will see council getting $3.
According to council minutes, the council has already agreed to that PSI Zimbabwe be granted permission to conduct VMMC once a day per week per clinic on condition that council is indemnified for any mishaps that may befall the team.
