Access to Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision among Learners: Experiences of Learners and Stakeholders in Two Districts in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe

Access is a complex multifaceted and critical component of any population’s health service. A qualitative approach was used to explore access to, and uptake of, voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV prevention. Penchansky and Thomas’ Theory of Access was used as the analytical framework underpinning the study. The data were collected using key-informant interviews with purposively selected teachers and healthcare workers and focus-group discussions with secondary school learners. The data were thematically analysed using the NVivo software program. The findings suggest high levels of availability, accessibility and acceptability of voluntary medical male circumcision among learners. The learners indicated that access to voluntary medical male circumcision was fair. The most compelling benefit was its perceived protective efficacy against the transmission of HIV and AIDS among heterosexual partners. More centres for voluntary medical male circumcision were advocated to increase the accessibility of voluntary medical male circumcision services. However, an increased uptake was not guaranteed because several critical areas still needed attention, particularly from a policy perspective. We recommend the alignment of legal and policy frameworks to ensure that voluntary medical male circumcision is offered comprehensively. This should be accompanied by adequate accessories such as sexual and reproductive health education and condoms to enhance the combination HIV prevention.