Scaling up Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) through Improvements in the Availability, Integration, and Quality of HIV Prevention Services in Zimbabwe under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

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Zimbabwe is not a traditionally circumcising country; only about 9% of the overall male population is circumcised and male circumcisions are carried out primarily for religious or cultural reasons. However, intervention studies have demonstrated that VMMC can reduce a man’s risk of acquiring HIV by 60%, and in Zimbabwe, it is estimated that 1 incident HIV infection may be averted through every 8 circumcisions performed. The recipient will partner with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) to implement evidence-based biomedical HIV prevention in Zimbabwe within the framework of "combination HIV prevention" to achieve HIV epidemic control. Specifically, this NOFO will strive to reach more than 80% VMMC coverage in selected PEPFAR supported districts. The short-term outcomes of this NOFO include increased circumcision coverage of males in the target population and increased and sustained access to HIV testing services (HTS) and VMMC services accomplished through direct provision of services, as well as blended approaches as necessary to permit such service provision. Long term outcomes include decreased HIV incidence and prevalence among the targeted population; decreased opportunistic infections (OI) incidence and HIV mortality among the targeted population; improved documentation of the coverage and delivery of acceptable, safe, and quality VMMC services; and reduced HIV transmission among HIV+ men to their sexual partners.

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