Focused Demand Creation For SMC Services Among Young Men Aged 15 Years And Above In Bukulula Sub-county, Masaka District

Venue: Saint Charles Lwanga SSS, Masaka

Date: 15/06/2023 and 17/06/2023

Objectives:

1.    To make Safe Medical Circumcision (SMC) available in locations nearer to the programme participants.

2.    School-based Voluntary Medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV Prevention.

3.    To carry out, catalyse demand creation opportunities and create spaces for critical VMMC uptake in Greater Masaka Region.

4.    To popularise and build confidence around VMMC as a method long confirmed and recommended (2007) by the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Uganda is one of the priority countries scaling it up.

5.    To contribute to population-wide numbers engaged in VMMC uptake.

6.    Enhance continuity in engagement in health seeking practices by younger people in Uganda.

7.    To mobilize programme participants (Young and adult men 15 years and above) to attend VMMC community outreaches through which they are mentored to become champion change agents who can catalyse demand creation and awareness of the wider Sexual and reproductive health needs and service continuum.

8.    To bring nearer to the programme participants quality VMMC Surgery services.

9.    Provide information, education, communication and care before VMMC and after VMMC.

10. To provide opportunities for peers to listen to qualified SRH/VMMC service providers on themes such as relationship building, exposure to risks of acquiring HIV, behaviours that promote exposure, behaviours that break disease progression, delaying sexual debut, genital and menstrual hygiene.

11. Conduct community engagement, health promotion activities and distribution of SBCC Materials.

12. Connect VMMC, SRH, good health and wellbeing, the green environment and habits such as proper waste management by using available and appropriate resources in their surroundings to enhance wellbeing.

Participant Make Up:

Saint Charles Lwanga Education Institute Community; VMMC team members, young and adult men 15 years and above.

Expectations:

1.    Conduct the full package of VMMC service continuum including pre and post activities.

2.    Establish a School-based Life Planning Club.

Outline of activities:

1.    To provide Safe Medical Circumcision (SMC) in locations nearer to the programme participants.

2.    To carry out mobilisation and identify candidates for VMMC.

3.    Engage in activities catalysing demand creation opportunities.

4.    Create spaces adding to the critical number of VMMC uptake in Greater Masaka Region.

5.    To engage in such activities that popularise and build confidence around VMMC as an HIV prevention method long confirmed and recommended (2007) by the World Health Organization and the UNAIDS.

6.    To set dates, show up and conduct VMMC services.

7.    To engage in activities that promote uptake of VMMC services such assessment for eligibility; consent and confidentiality assurance.

8.    To conduct actual VMMC Surgery services.

9.    To provide information, education, communication and care before VMMC and after VMMC.

10. To provide factual SRH/VMMC messaging and themes such as relationship building, exposure to risks of acquiring HIV, behaviours that promote exposure, behaviours that break disease progression, delaying sexual debut, genital and menstrual hygiene.

11. To provide IEC intended to inform decisions that connect VMMC, SRH, good health and wellbeing, the green environment and habits such as proper waste management by using available and appropriate resources in their surroundings to enhance wellbeing.

12. Ensure clean up of premises, sanitise surfaces, remove any litter sharps and medical waste.

13. To provide phone contacts in case of emergency.

14. To provide date for post VMMC surgery follow-up.

Lessons Learnt:

1.    When we returned for follow up visits a number of programme participants who were in Advanced classes had removed the bandages as well as using boxer pants and not following the post-surgery guidelines. This means that during the health education sessions post-surgery care talks should emphasize the need for keeping the bandage on for at-least for the first forty-eight (48) hours after surgery and using the tight pant to immobilize the shaft, to avoid swelling and risk of bleeding.

2.    MOD Public Health Foundation, works in Greater Masaka Region with the Rakai Health Sciences Project (RHSP) a renowned, leading Implementing Partner of HIV Prevention Programmes in the region. Team work catalyses effective engagement by all players who in turn contribute to the effectiveness of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention.

3.    CSOs are some of the entities linking communities with opportunities enhancing demand creation for VMMC. The adoption of VMMC as an additional HIV prevention strategy through identifying spaces where eligible participants can be found is a key factor that expedites adoption of VMMC programmes.

4.    Life planning Skills Clubs contribute to a prevention continuum. They need dedicated follow up too.

Way Forward:

To establish a leadership panel of the MOD/PHU/PCH Umbrella.

To generate all necessary documents and prepare them for induction

To support all Steering Team members to be up-to-date on all C-suite Executive eligibility materials

To share a report so that participants are able to revise the notes.

Concluding Remarks:

This training enabled members/participants to comprehend the mechanisms of forming a larger network. They were able to connect the elements of a larger network to life outcomes for the prospective programme participants. This is a risk mitigation training too including establishing Life planning Skills Clubs in the education institutes.