03 Nov 2015

The number of men who go through safe male circumcision in Palapye is unsatisfactory, says Palapye district AIDS coordinator, Mr Calistus Jackalas.

Speaking during Department of Buildings and Engineering Services Men Sector meeting, Mr Jackalas, said it was worrisome that the numbers of men who went for safe male circumcision are not satisfactory. 

Men sector is a sector of the National AIDS council charged with the responsibility of mobilising men and advocating for male involvement in the national response to HIV and AIDS.

He said the number of students who circumcised far exceeds the number of adult males above the age of 19.

He said Safe Male Circumcision would help reduce the number of HIV infections hence urged men to take advantage of this initiative.

He said men were lagging behind on HIV/AIDS issues, adding that few men knew their HIV status while majority still relied on their partners’ status.

Mr Jackalas therefore encouraged men to go for testing together with their partners and cut the chain of multiple and concurrent partners.

He said the country was still striving towards the zero new infections challenge and zero AIDS related deaths. 

He further cautioned that sexually transmitted infection cases are increasing which shows that condom usage has gone down.

For his part divisional operations officer for North Central division, Senior Superintendent Frankel Mohutsiwa implored men to stop domestic violence, rape and killing their partners.

He urged men to seek counselling when they have problems in their relationships rather than taking the law into their own hands. 

He encouraged his fellow men to change their mindsets and to play a positive role in society, particularly supporting women.

For his part Kgosi Michael Maforaga of Palapye said Men sector is designed for men to encourage and advice one another on issues affecting them. 

He said that men should take it upon themselves to teach their male children values and principles that will mould them into responsible men in future. 

Men had the opportunity to vote for the chairperson of the men sector committee Kgosi Keoraletse Tebagano of which Kgosi Maforaga encouraged them to respect and support the newly elected chairperson. Ends