Officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Population Services for Health (PSH) have been accused of stealing money that was meant for a voluntary male circumcision programme in Makoni District.
The officials are accused of pocketing transport money for those who were circumcised and also circumcising under-aged boys to meet targets and get more financial rewards.
<a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/circumcision-funds-looted/">The Manica Post</a> quoted a source as saying there was collusion between the staff from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and those from PSH. Said the source:
<blockquote>
There was an intricate web between Government nurses and those from PSH to defraud the programme. For every circumcision conducted, those between the ages of 15 and 18 receive U$4 while those between 19 and 29 years are paid US$10 as a transport fee to a health centre. Only males above 15 are eligible to be circumcised under this programme.
An anonymous tip-off reached PSH to the effect that a lot of shenanigans were taking place in Makoni District and a Data Quality Audit was instituted. A lot of glaring and unacceptable irregularities were picked.
It was discovered that boys below the age of 15 were being circumcised and to cover that up, they were recorded as over 15.
When investigators interviewed the beneficiaries and their parents, including checking their birth certificates, it came to light that a lot of under-aged boys had been circumcised.
Another anomaly is that over 20 percent of the beneficiaries that were randomly picked for verifications could not be located.
Some of their addresses were non-existent. The phone numbers provided were not reachable. We believe that the nurses were putting ghost names and pocketing the transport money.
</blockquote>
The unnamed official added that the under-age circumcised boys are not in any danger because the procedure was done correctly and professionally.
Acting Makoni District Medical Officer, Dr. Hosea Maringe confirmed the scandal but refused to give the finer details, saying investigations are underway.
PSH executive director and managing trustee, Noah Taruberekera confirmed the matter and said they are responding to the allegations according to the organisation’s internal policies.

Pindula News

Circumcision Funds Looted In Makoni

The Ministry of Health said at least 326 000 men were circumcised last year, representing 90% of the target set.
Sinokuthemba Xaba, director of National Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision in the Health ministry yesterday told a strategic review meeting that more should be done, particularly targeting the older generation to encourage them to get circumcised. Said Xaba:
<blockquote>In relation to the targets, our achievement for last year was about 90% of our targets and this was in excess of 326 000 against a target of 350 000 circumcisions. This is by any measure very good given the history of the programme when we started in 2009. We used to have annual figures of 2 000. The previous strategy contributed to the rapid scale up of the programme, and this new strategy that we are unveiling today will set the pace for the new focus in the programme which is geared on transitioning this initiative to sustainability. Sustainability in our HIV programmes is of critical importance as we need to ensure continued quality service provision, even in light of dwindling donor funding</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/03/326k-men-circumcised-in-2018/">NewsDay</a>

326 000 Men Circumcised In 2018

A report by the Mashonaland East National AIDS Council shows that 17 boys of school going-age in Goromonzi had to be rushed to health centres in the district after their penises were infected following botched-up operations done by an unknown organisation.
Part of the report reads:
<blockquote>A total of 17 adverse events were recorded and were all recorded in Goromonzi district where an unnamed organisation circumcised and abandoned children soon after the procedure.</blockquote>
Investigations are said to be underway to identify the people and the organisation that carried out the illegal operations.
More: <a href="http://newzimbabwe.com/news-39466-17+boys+in+botched+circumcision+ops/news.aspx">NewZimbabwe.com</a>

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