26-11-2013, 06:29 PM
A third medical male circumcision clinic will be opened in the North West as part of a provincial campaign to reduce the risk of HIV infection amongst men.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the risk of HIV is reduced by 60% if a man is circumcised.
In the North West, 18.9% of the entire population is estimated to be HIV-infected while 30.2% of pregnant women live with the virus.
“The opening of (the) clinic in Phokeng comes after three clinical trials found that circumcised men were considerably less likely to contract HIV from their female partners,†said provincial health spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane.
The clinic will run in conjunction with the Centre for HIV and Aids Prevention Studies (CHAPS) and it will be able to perform over 200 circumcisions per week.
Lekgethwane said the clinic will be opened at the Bafokeng Community Health Centre in Phokeng near Rustenburg on Thursday in the runup to World Aids Day on December 1.
“This site is one of three high volume sites currently operating in the North West province. Medical male circumcision is also available free of charge at all hospitals, community health centres and various clinics across the province.
“But we would also like to emphasise that even though circumcision reduces the risk of contracting HIV by up to 60%, it does not mean that men must stop using condoms. It has been proven that condoms reduce this risk even further,†Lekgethwane said.
He said at least 14 000 young men need to be circumcised in the province over the next two years.
"Circumcision is a very safe procedure. Only 1-2% of all circumcisions have a problem – in most instances, it is minor and resolved within a few days. Men who are circumcised can go back to school or work the next day.
"It takes about two hours at the clinic to be circumcised – this includes HIV testing, counselling about circumcision and the procedure itself. The actual circumcision takes about 15 minutes,†Lekgethwane said.
Lekgethwane added that three clinical trails done in Uganda, Kenya and Orange Farm in South Africa showed consistent results that male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV for a circumcised heterosexual man.
“We must also remind our people that testing for HIV is routine and free at every government health facility,†he said.
The North West will commemorate World Aids Day in Moshana village, a farming community outside Zeerust. Premier Thandi Modise will reintroduce the HIV counselling and testing campaign, which encourages people to get tested.
According to Lekgethwane, the South African government plans to circumcise more than four million men by 2016. – SAnews.gov.za
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the risk of HIV is reduced by 60% if a man is circumcised.
In the North West, 18.9% of the entire population is estimated to be HIV-infected while 30.2% of pregnant women live with the virus.
“The opening of (the) clinic in Phokeng comes after three clinical trials found that circumcised men were considerably less likely to contract HIV from their female partners,†said provincial health spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane.
The clinic will run in conjunction with the Centre for HIV and Aids Prevention Studies (CHAPS) and it will be able to perform over 200 circumcisions per week.
Lekgethwane said the clinic will be opened at the Bafokeng Community Health Centre in Phokeng near Rustenburg on Thursday in the runup to World Aids Day on December 1.
“This site is one of three high volume sites currently operating in the North West province. Medical male circumcision is also available free of charge at all hospitals, community health centres and various clinics across the province.
“But we would also like to emphasise that even though circumcision reduces the risk of contracting HIV by up to 60%, it does not mean that men must stop using condoms. It has been proven that condoms reduce this risk even further,†Lekgethwane said.
He said at least 14 000 young men need to be circumcised in the province over the next two years.
"Circumcision is a very safe procedure. Only 1-2% of all circumcisions have a problem – in most instances, it is minor and resolved within a few days. Men who are circumcised can go back to school or work the next day.
"It takes about two hours at the clinic to be circumcised – this includes HIV testing, counselling about circumcision and the procedure itself. The actual circumcision takes about 15 minutes,†Lekgethwane said.
Lekgethwane added that three clinical trails done in Uganda, Kenya and Orange Farm in South Africa showed consistent results that male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV for a circumcised heterosexual man.
“We must also remind our people that testing for HIV is routine and free at every government health facility,†he said.
The North West will commemorate World Aids Day in Moshana village, a farming community outside Zeerust. Premier Thandi Modise will reintroduce the HIV counselling and testing campaign, which encourages people to get tested.
According to Lekgethwane, the South African government plans to circumcise more than four million men by 2016. – SAnews.gov.za