Circumcision centre set to cut HIV infection rate

Published Aug 1, 2011

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POLOKO TAU

GAUTENG Health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe has lauded the hearty response of men who have been circumcised to prevent and reduce the spread of HIV.

Speaking at the official opening of a male medical circumcision site at the Zola Clinic on Friday, Mekgwe said more than 8 000 men between the ages of 15 and 49 had been circumcised there since the programme’s launch in November.

“Indeed, this is the busiest male medical circumcision site in the whole of South Africa, followed by the one in Orange Farm. This clinic has a capacity to conduct up to 150 circumcisions per day,” she said.

“As we launch this site, we take our hats off to those young men and adult males who have come forward to be circumcised. I will not go into details of what the research findings have been in areas such as Orange Farm, except to say that when an opportunity presents itself to take action in order to reduce the risk of HIV infections, all responsible people should grab such opportunities with both hands.”

The Zola Clinic is one of the 10 clinics and 22 government hospitals offering male medical circumcision in Gauteng.

Mekgwe said eight more clinics would be offering male circumcision by the end of March 2012. Circumcision sites would be opened at Hillbrow, Itireleng, Chiawelo, Lenasia South, Soshanguve 3, Levai Mbatha, Refilwe and Fochville clinics.

“We have committed to bring this service closer to where people live, that is why I have announced the names of additional clinics which will offer this service by the end of March,” Mekgwe said.

The government was “also pleased that there is no cultural group in our country which can stand up and say ‘circumcision is not part of our culture’. All traditional leaders in our country support this programme.”

Mekgwe said Gauteng had taken the programme further, with a decision taken that all male babies born at public health facilities would be circumcised soon after birth.

The MEC said while studies had shown that male medical circumcision reduced the risk of HIV/Aids infection by up to 60 percent, it was “no substitute for the ABC message”. The abstain, be faithful and use condoms message remained as relevant as ever.

“Being circumcised is not a licence to irresponsible sexual behaviour; it is not a licence to multiple sex partners,” she said.

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