17 Aug 2015

The safe male circumcision campaign is doing well in Mahalapye and surrounding areas, says Mahalapye ACHAP’s programme officer, Ms Kagiso Pelopedi.

In an interview recently, Ms Pelopedi said they had targeted to circumcise more males in the month of July, but that they managed to circumcise 114 men which was a promising number.

She noted that the numbers were achieved in a short time, and hoped that the campaign would achieve the desired results.

She stressed that the campaign was going well, but that they have to intensify mobilisation to encourage more men to circumcise.

Ms Pelopedi noted that they have targeted school going boys among others.

She explained that school holidays were usually targeted to give the boys who do get circumcised ample time to heal at home.

She stated that the campaign targets males between 15 to 29 years without leaving others who wish to undergo circumcision, and that they were encouraged to register at the nearest health facilities.

She commended residents of Mahalapye and Mookane for responding positively to the programme as compared to other villages.

She said the outgoing school population and the adult population were reluctant to take safe male circumcision programme.

She also cited construction industry employees and football players as some of the people reluctant to undergo safe male circumcision because employers were often reluctant to grant employees time off after undergoing safe male circumcision.

Ms Pelopedi said they have not experienced any resistance from religious groups, and that there was need to strengthen relationships and to engage them to improve the response.

“Most men say they are afraid of pain and others indicate that they cannot withstand the six weeks waiting and healing period,” she said.

She said some men shy away from circumcision for reasons that were misguided rather than facts, and which could easily be explained by health professionals and peers who have been circumcised.

She further highlighted the importance of safe male circumcision, saying it reduces chances of contracting the HIV virus by 60 per cent, and said 40 per cent could be combated by behavioural change.

She noted that safe male circumcision helps men to maintain good penile hygiene, adding that germs have no place to hide as they hide under the foreskin.

She also said it helps to reduce chances of contracting cancer and sexually transmitted infections both in women and men.

She said several studies have shown that female partners of circumcised men have a lower risk of cancer of the cervix.

Furthermore she said other benefits include prevention of inflammation of the glands and foreskin and prevention of scar tissue causing an inability to retract the foreskin.

She said the use of condoms should go hand in hand with circumcision to fight the epidemic.

“Strategies in place to create awareness on safe male circumcision include kgotla meetings, community outreach, workplace mobilisation, group education, one on one sessions with men and women, especially partners of men who have circumcised as these serve as safe male circumcision champions,” she said.

She noted that the engagement of men who were circumcised to mobilise their peers as well as their relatives was important for the success of eradicating new HIV/AIDS infections by 2016.

She also pleaded for individualised communication to get more men circumcised.

Ms Pelopedi urged women to encourage their partners as well as their sons to circumcise to reduce chances of contracting HIV/AIDS.

She said safe male circumcision was safe and that people should encourage males across all age groups to undergo the procedure for their own personal benefit and that of their families and communities. ENDS