Reaching the Unreached: VMMC Mobile Van Brings Services to Mara’s Peripheral Communities

Reaching the Unreached: VMMC Mobile Van Brings Services to Mara’s Peripheral Communities

In the remote corners of Rorya District, Mara, a distinctive mobile van journeyed from village to village providing safe, confidential voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in a way that embraced dignity and trust.

Operating in collaboration with the District Health Management Team, this mobile initiative brought equipped providers closer to men who may never otherwise access VMMC services. For many local residents, especially members of the Luo community who traditionally do not circumcise, the van offered a new path to prevention a choice grounded in care and understanding.

“We were able to meet men where they lived,” said one member of the VMMC team. “Privacy, respect, and quality care allowed them to make confident decisions without fear.”

Launched just before World AIDS Day in December 2021, the van’s deployment in peripheral areas drew significant participation. Between the days immediately before and after the commemoration, the team recorded impressive turnout, with dozens of young men choosing VMMC right in their communities.

Key to this success were:

Privacy and confidentiality, protecting clients from being seen by peers.

• Convenient access, reaching men living far from fixed facilities.
• Dedicated VMMC services, reducing waiting time and simplifying visits.
• High quality standards, with well-trained providers and reliable tools.
• No-cost provision, removing financial barriers entirely.

The mobile service model proved that when communities are met with respect and effective care, uptake increases and HIV risk can decline.

This mobile VMMC initiative was rolled out as part of the Afya Kamilifu project, a five-year initiative supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Tanzania. The project was implemented by Amref Health Africa in Tanzania, in collaboration with the University of Maryland Baltimore (now CIHEB) and the Tanzania Communication and Development Center (TCDC), with close coordination alongside the Ministry of Health, the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, and the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG).