Perceptions and Acceptability of male Circumcision Policy: A Case of Chimanimani Constituency

Abstract

In 2009, the government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Health and Child Care embarked on a massive campaign for voluntary medical male circumcision. The ministry adopted a policy that includes male circumcision as one of the ways to combat HIV and Aids infection .It had been observed that more and more people of all age groups were continuing to be affected and infected by the AIDS pandemic. Some publication has taken place to encourage males to come for circumcision through donor aided programmes. These were in the form of banners, pamphlets, billboards and some broadcasting services .Male circumcision, which is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin (or prepuce from the penis), is being introduced in Zimbabwe as an additional prevention method for infection by the Human Immuno Deficiancy Virus (HIV) and the resultant Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This study sought to investigate people’s perceptions and acceptability towards male circumcision as a tool to reduce (HIV/AIDS) scourge in Chimanimani East Constituency. It has been confirmed that quite a number of campaigns have been carried out to convince the general public of the value of male circumcision as a method to combat HIV infection. These campaigns have also been extended to the Varemba and Shangaan who culturally practice male circumcision. The cost of circumcision is subsidized by UNICEF.Using the qualitative research methodology, the study revealed that the people are willing to change their behavior after circumcision, provided they are well informed about it and there are adequate qualified medical practitioners in clinics and hospitals in the constituency to pass this knowledge to them. A sample size of fifty was used for the questionnaires. It composed of thirty males and twenty females. However there has to be a stronger political will for scaling up VMMC by the government.