18 Feb 2018

Safe Male Circumcision (SMC) has been verified as a safe preventative procedure for men that can bear fruit as far as the war against HIV and AIDS is concerned.

Speaking during the Kweneng West Behavioural Change Intervention and Communication workshop in Letlhakeng on Thursday, Dr Ontlametse Kgame from ACHAP said the method has been proved to reduce chances of infection by up to 60 per cent.

Dr Kgame also indicated that since the introduction of SMC as a preventative measure in 2011, they had not received many reports of the procedure going wrong. She also said apart from playing a vital role in reducing the chances of HIV infection, the procedure has also been found to reduce chances of cervical cancer infection.

Dr Kgame, however, expressed disappointment at people who continued to hold to the assumption that SMC reduces sexual pleasure.

She also cautioned that SMC was not a guarantee against HIV infection, saying it only reduced the chances and that other preventative measures such as condom use should not be discarded when one was circumcised.

Dr Kgame said the side effects of SMC were nothing to worry about as they were minor such as the loss of blood and external infections due to poor hygiene at some health facilities, but said most of the challenges have been addressed.

On other issues, a TB volunteer from Letlhakeng Clinic, Ms Lucia Kemofitile said tuberculosis was one of the most dangerous communicable diseases as it was difficult control.

She advised that people who exhibited TB related symptoms such as loss of weight and appetite as well as uncontrollable sweating at night should visit the clinic as soon as possible for tests. Ends