Prepex center solving male reproductive health needs

The Prepex center of excellence at Rwanda Military hospital has been at the forefront in the circumcision of the male youth, and some adults to improve the reproductive health of the male population in the country.Thousands of youth and adult male people have benefited from the free of charge circumcision procedures by use of the prepex device ever since the program was implemented early this year.At Rwanda Military Hospital, this programme has been developed in the clinical curriculum and surgeons have always conducted this activity on a bi-weekly basis. Rwanda Military Hospital provides great focus on this initiative as has provided Doctors and nurses on a regular basis to conduct this procedure at the hospital premises.Maj. Dr. King Kayondo is the clinical director of Rwanda Military hospital and a general surgeon who has been actively involved in the prepex circumcision procedure ever since the program was initiated and implemented at the hospital.He says the hospital has a great focus on the clinical and social aspect for the use of prepex circumcision program and that accomplished work has already proven itself.“We have absolute support for this programme to run at the hospital. We have cooperated well with the main sponsors of this programme to train our junior doctors and nurses on how to use the prepex device properly. We are looking at the expansion of this programme in a near future especially in terms of technical expertise,” he addsHe highlights shortage of expertise and sometimes inadequate devices to carry out the procedure adequately.This programme will be instrumental in the promotion of male reproductive health in the country as the programme will be expanded to many other health institutions and centers in the country. Hundreds of male youth have been circumcised at the Rwanda Military Hospital premises and have all had successful healing from the circumcised wounds on their reproductive organ.Emmanuel Nizeyimana is a 19-year old school boy who was circumcised at Rwanda Military Hospital under the prepex center of excellence program. He reports to have had no complications from the procedure and has had no complaint ever since he had the prepex circumcision procedure completed.“I used to have persistent ulcerations and intermittent pains on my sex organ. When I went for treatment at Rwanda military hospital, doctors used to tell me I am suffering from a disease called balanitis or sometimes para-phymosis. But ever since I was circumcised, all these complaints have disappeared and I am feeling good all the time,” he said. Apart from solving anatomical or organ related complaints, circumcision has many tangible health benefits especially in the reduction of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. It is also believed that majority of men who are HIV positive become infected through the penis during sexual contact.It is worth to understand that uncircumcised men are at a much greater risk of becoming infected with HIV than men who are circumcised. The reason to support this view is that the inner surface of the foreskin has a very high concentration of cells containing HIV receptors that act as a portal into the body when exposed to HIV-infected bodily fluids such as semen.Another scientific explanation is that the foreskin traps HIV in a moist environment near the surface of the penis, allowing the HIV to live longer, also small foreskin tears that may occur during intercourse provide an entry way for the virus. Important to note is that circumcision appears to reduce the risk of HIV infection, it does not eliminate the risk. Circumcision should not be viewed as a substitute for safer sex methods. Therefore whether one is circumcised or not, condoms are a must with each and every anal, vaginal or oral sexual contact. How it worksPre-pex device is a circular device with the shape of the penis head. It is inserted inside the foreskin opening and covers the whole penis glans. The penis glans consists of the muscular tissue of the penis that has penile opening. The prepex device is inserted for one week before it is removed for complete circumcision and removal of the foreskin. The advantage of this device over other circumcision devices and techniques is that it makes circumcision bloodless and simple. This is due to the fact that blood circulation to the foreskin is cut off. Also there is no anesthesia involved in the use of pre-pex circumcision. The tangible social advantage of this procedure is that a person is able to work 8 hours after the procedure is completed.Other health valuesCircumcision has proved to have vast health advantages that include decreased risk of urinary tract infections as well as inflammatory diseases that affect the male reproductive organ.Some of these inflammatory complaints include balanitis (inflammation of the glans) and balano posthitis (inflammation of the glens and foreskin) as well as Prevention of phimosis (the inability to retract the foreskin) and paraphimosis (the inability to return the foreskin to its original location).