06 May 2018

 Safe Male Circumcision focal person based at Palapye Primary Hospital, Mr Nyalalani Motimedi has expressed concern about parents’ response to safe male circumcision, saying parents did not permit their children to take part.

He said they visited 15 primary schools in Tswapong North to register eligible pupils for circumcision during school holidays, and that 700 were registered but only 300 pupils got their parents’ consent.

Mr Motimedi emphasised that SME was an additive major on HIV prevention and even though people aged 10 years might not be sexually active, majors had to be taken to prepare them for what lied ahead.

He cautioned parents who were still against SME that all the negative perceptions about the programme were just that, and had not been scientifically proven noting that the operation was done by trained medical practitioners.

Ms Phumolo Keokilwe, a resident of Mosweu in Tswapong North, said her son was circumcised at age 10 and was now 14 years.

She said she believed that the decision would benefit him in future when he was sexually active, noting that she had reduced his risk of contracting not only HIV but other sexually transmitted infections.

She urged other parents to support their children and encourage them to undergo SME. Ms Keokilwe advised parents to seek information from health practitioners about SME. He also urged parents to permit their children to under-go the safe male circumcision programme

The SME campaign, a Ministry of Health and Wellness initiative, was organised for pupils aged 10 years and above for primary schools in Mosweu, Mokokwana, Maunatlala, Seolwane and Lerala. ENDS