Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe has achieved a major public health milestone by recording over 2,5 million voluntary medical male circumcisions, a senior Government official has said.
This accomplishment comes despite a significant contraction in international donor funding, which has historically been the primary financial backbone of the programme.
Dr Owen Mugurungi, Director of the AIDS and TB Unit in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, revealed that 41,489 procedures were performed in the third quarter of 2025 alone, bringing the cumulative total to 2 564 997 since the programme’s inception in 2009.
This figure is expected to rise further once final statistics for the year are consolidated.
“Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision remains one of the most impactful HIV prevention interventions and is critical to Zimbabwe’s national HIV response,” Dr Mugurungi stated.
VMMC, the complete surgical removal of the foreskin, is promoted as a one-time primary prevention intervention that reduces the risk of HIV transmission from women to men by approximately 60 percent.
Dr Mugurungi highlighted that earlier modelling projected that circumcising 2 million men would avert between 149,000 and 269,000 new HIV infections by 2030. The programme is now on track to prevent nearly 300 000 new cases by the end of the decade.
However, reaching this landmark has required navigating a volatile funding landscape. By 2023, four major grants, including crucial support from the United States Government, had ended. This led to a notable decline in programme performance and outputs in 2024 and early 2025.
“Getting to this remarkable achievement was not without challenges,” Dr Mugurungi said.
To ensure the programme’s long-term viability, the Government has prioritised several key sustainability measures. A central strategy is the decentralisation of services, moving care from centralised hubs directly into all districts to ensure equitable access for remote populations.
In response to financial constraints, the programme has also transitioned to using reusable surgical kits, a move that lowers procurement costs without compromising clinical safety.
Furthermore, the integration of online training platforms has revolutionised provider education. These digital tools allow for continuous scaling of provider competence while drastically reducing the overhead costs associated with traditional, in-person workshops.
Dr Mugurungi confirmed that the VMMC programme will remain operational through 2026 and beyond as the Government actively seeks new domestic and international partners. He noted that an upward trajectory was observed in the last quarter of 2025 and is anticipated to strengthen further in 2026.
The programme’s success contributes to Zimbabwe’s broader HIV prevention achievements. According to the recently released 2024 National AIDS Council annual report, the VMMC programme recorded 138 869 new circumcisions last year, achieving 77,3 percent of its annual target.
