06 Dec 2016

Employees of Teletechnics and Botswana Fibre Networks (BOFINET) engaged in the supply, installation and commissioning of BOFINET Optic Fibre Cable project in Tsabong have been urged to circumcise as one effort to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Speaking during an HIV/ AIDS awareness workshop organised by Teletechnics to sensitise employees about the pandemic as well as HIV/ AIDS prevention in Tsabong recently, health education officer at Tsabong Primary Hospital, Mr Bonnie Dikwii said safe male circumcision (SMC) was an additional strategy for HIV prevention.

He said even though the country had put in place preventive measures such as an effective Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, a robust Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme and many other interventions, HIV transmission was still high and therefore Safe Male Circumcision was essential in preventing the spread of HIV infection.

Mr Dikwii said apart from reducing sexual transmission from women to men by approximately 60 per cent SMC had other health benefits such as easier hygiene, saying that circumcision makes it simpler to wash the private parts.

He also said that it results in decreased risk of urinary tract infections, decreased risk of sexually transmitted infections, prevention of penile problems as well as decreased risk of penile cancer.

Mr Dikwii also pointed out that Safe Male Circumcision does not affect male sexual drive as many people think.

He also said that removing the foreskin gets rid of the wet, warm and dark environment that can sustain viruses such as HIV and other sexually transmitted infections such as syphilis,herpes and many more.

“Safe Male circumcision does not reduce man’s sexual drive, it does not affect his sexual performance anyhow,” he emphasised.

Mr Dikwii stressed that Safe Male Circumcision provides only partial protection as it reduces sexual transmission from women to men by approximately 60 percent and therefore should be accompanied by regular HIV testing and counselling, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, the promotion of safer sex practices as well as correct use of condoms when having sexual intercourse.

Furthermore, he said that even though Botswana has been running Safe Male Circumcision since 2009, it has not yet met its target. ENDS