By Agwanda Jamach

Nyanza Provincial Director of Public Health and Sanitation Dr. Jackson Kioko is saying that the pace that has already been set in the province on Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision is promising with 426,500 targeted by 2013.

Dr. Kioko says that launching of Rapid Result Initiative on male circumcision in the last two years has plummeted the number of men seeking the services.

He says that so far a total of 130,000 men are still not circumcised in the province according to their statistics and is optimistic that by the year 2013 they will receive the services.

Speaking during the release of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision RRI in Kisumu, Dr. Kioko says that RRI was designed to accelerate access to voluntary medical male circumcision services in the province.

He says that a total of 50,454 men were circumcised during the RRI that started last year in November to December surpassing their target of 41,000 men.

Nyanza Provincial Commissioner Francis Mutie who was the chief guest at the function cautioned youths against indulging in drug abuse.

Mutie says that drug abuse is one of the factors that has led to high prevalence HIV rate among the youth in the country.

He also urged the circumscribed men to continue taking precautions as circumcision does not offer complete protection against HIV infection.

ENDS