09 Nov 2015

A counsellor from African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP), Ms Iponeng Tiro has implored Metsimotlhabe residents to encourage their children to go for Safe Male Circumcision (SMC).

Speaking in a kgotla meeting last week, she said it was imperative that children, youth and older men go for SMC as it has been proven by health practitioners to be beneficial. 

Ms Tiro said SMC has diverse advantages as it reduces the chances of HIV/AIDS virus transmission by 60 per cent, its hygienic and also helps in avoiding sexually transmitted diseases that normally hide under the foreskin. She said although it was a sensitive issue to discuss, there was nothing they could do as HIV/AIDS prevalence was high.

She explained that there were two types of SMCs. The surgical method where trained personnel manually remove the skin and a prepex method where the prepex device is inserted in the male part for seven days. She said the prepex was good as it was painless and no sick leave was required. 

She, however, said that SMC was only done at Nkoyaphiri Clinic in Mogoditshane as the Metsimotlhabe Clinic was small. She encouraged those interested in SMC to register at Metsimotlhabe where they would be picked.

For her part, a representative from Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP), Ms Mpho Mokone said they intend to invade the village and conduct HIV/AIDS voluntary sessions, caring for the orphans as well as visiting home based care patients. 

Ms Kgalalelo Ditsela reiterated that as the Botswana Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (BONEPWA) they would help in teaching residents about issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS. She said they also intend to deal with defaulters as the habit negates the fight against the disease. Ends