title: Voluntary medical male circumcision: translating research into the rapid expansion of services in Kenya, 2008-2011.
abstract: Since the World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS recommended implementation of medical male circumcision (MC) as part of HIV prevention in areas with low MC and high HIV prevalence rates in 2007, the government of Kenya has developed a strategy to circumcise 80% of uncircumcised men within five years. To facilitate the quick translation of research to practice, a national MC task force was formed in 2007, a medical MC policy was implemented in early 2008, and Nyanza Province, the region with the highest HIV burden and low rates of circumcision, was prioritized for services under the direction of a provincial voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) task force. The government's early and continuous engagement with community leaders/elders, politicians, youth, and women's groups has led to the rapid endorsement and acceptance of VMMC. In addition, several innovative approaches have helped to optimize VMMC scale-up. Since October 2008, the Kenyan VMMC program has circumcised approximately 290,000 men, mainly in Nyanza Province, an accomplishment made possible through a combination of governmental leadership, a documented implementation strategy, and the adoption of appropriate and innovative approaches. Kenya's success provides a model for others planning VMMC scale-up programs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nairobi, Kenya. zmwandi@ke.cdc.gov
authors.forename: Zebedee
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mwandi
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Kipruto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chesang
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Njeuhmeli
authors.forename: Kawango
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Agot
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Llewellyn
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kirui
authors.forename: Kennedy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Serrem
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abuya
authors.forename: Mores
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loolpapit
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mbayaki
authors.forename: Ndungu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiriro
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherutich
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muraguri
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Motoku
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kioko
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002944:Circumcision, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000458:organization & administration; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult