A Consultant Urologist at the University Teaching Hospital has challenged men to take their health seriously by adopting health-seeking behaviour.
Dr Micheal Silumbe said most men tend to seek medical treatment only when their health conditions reach critical stages, making it difficult for effective treatment by medical practitioners.
“It is always important to seek medical attention early. Most of these conditions are manageable and curable if detected early. For instance, prostate cancer is curable if detected early,” he said.
Dr Silumbe urged men to undergo frequent screening so that certain health conditions are detected at an early stage and offer an opportunity for comprehensive treatment.
He said men should take advantage of the Men’s Clinics established across the country by the Ministry of Health, supported by the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to monitor their health conditions.
“The Men’s Clinic offers a conducive environment for men. By creating these Men’s Clinics, it is thought that men will be more open, and it will be easy for them to seek medical attention,” said Dr Silumbe.
Dr Silumbe made these remarks during an onsite mentorship training programme for medical staff working in the Men’s Clinics in Chongwe, Rufunsa and Luangwa district health facilities jointly organised by CIDRZ and the Lusaka Provincial Health Office under the Ministry of Health.
Medical staff in eight (8) health facilities underwent capacity building to effectively treat and manage common illnesses affecting men, thereby enhancing health service delivery.