According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC) remains a significant pillar of combination HIV prevention intervention in high HIV burden settings. (UNAIDS & WHO Progress Brief April 2022).

The resumption of VMMC services in Zambia after the COVID-19 pandemic has seen service providers geared towards scaling up and enhancing VMMC services to continue contributing to reducing HIV incidences among boys and men.  

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Proud-Z project, the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)’s VMMC programme, in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), is back in high swing hosting sensitization and awareness campaigns through soccer galas such as the ones recently held in Luangwa and Rufunsa districts. The Lusaka Provincial health office has identified these districts with low male circumcision uptake.

The soccer galas, themed “enhancing VMMC uptake through sports”, provided a suitable occasion to maximize the reach and coverage of VMMC and other services. CIDRZ managed to circumcise 280 males aged 15 -29 years and offered cervical cancer screening services to the females present.  

The gala, which aimed at increasing the demand for VMMC, attracted six football teams from Luangwa, comprising four male and two female teams, while Rufunsa attracted 12 teams, including eight male and four female teams.  

Officiating at the event in Rufunsa, Lusaka, Provincial Minister Sheal Mulyata expressed gratitude for the work CIDRZ was doing in collaboration with the MOH. She further hailed the initiative of involving women in enhancing advocacy for VMMC services and cervical cancer screening through sports.

Meanwhile, Luangwa District Commissioner, Mr Luka Chikani, commended CIDRZ for its unwavering support in the fight against HIV through male circumcision, especially for targeting young people in the communities through activities such as soccer galas to avert illicit behaviours.