Army Reaches 1,000 soldiers with Voluntary Medical male circumcision

At least one thousand soldiers serving with the South Sudan People’s defense forces have been circumcised in an ongoing voluntary medical male circumcision campaign targeting men in uniform. 

The campaign by the SSPDF HIV and AIDS secretariat, is part of the strategies to prevent HIV transmission by the men in Uniform.

This is also in response to a report published recently by the SSPDF Health Services secretariat, which showed that, Uniformed forces majority of who are SSPDF contributed 34 percent of the new HIV infections.

Speaking to Miraya Breakfast show, Brigadier General Yohana Mabor Deng, Director SSPDF HIV/AIDS said there is an urgent need for increased awareness to strengthen the HIV prevention strategies. 

“We sent a campaign from September up to November to Jonglei state for counselling and testing and treatment, but we got a report from Pochalla, our client those of Pochalla they move from Pochalla to Panyido and to Gambella to go and get ARVs. They have been misinformed that the ARV’s coming from Juba will kill people but HIV drugs from Ethiopia are better, you can sleep with your partner without a problem. So our people are lacking information.” 

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