Pretoria - Healthcare organisation Right To Care has appealed to women across South Africa to take the lead and encourage men to take a bold step and take up voluntary medical circumcision.
Speaking to broadcaster eNCA, Right To Care’s Sizwe Hlongwane said there are abundant benefits to derive from voluntary male circumcision (VMC).
“The benefits of VMC, I think, scientifically it has been proven that the VMC actually reduces the chances of one contracting HIV by 60%, but that is not the only benefit. What actually concerns us is the sexually transmitted infections which are the gateway for HIV infection,” said Hlongwane.
“We are saying circumcision also assists in preventing ulcerative STIs (sexually transmitted infections), and it also assists in preventing the transmission of virus to females during sexual intercourse. So, the benefits are actually quite many.
“We are encouraging also women to take the lead in encouraging their partners to come through to our centres for the voluntary male circumcision.”
Hlongwane said the circumcision process is categorised as a “minor procedure” which would take around 30 minutes.
“Definitely, there would be a discomfort when you are localising the area, but we can give confidence to all the gents that the pain is actually manageable. That is why we use the local anaesthetic so that during the procedure, you do not feel any type of discomfort. After a day or two, you are able to resume your normal work, and after six weeks, you are actually healed,” he said.
“It is a very small discomfort and a lifetime of benefits. You do circumcision once, and you reap the benefits for the rest of your life.”
IOL previously published a story where Dr Kabo Ijane, representing the Urology Hospital in Pretoria, warned about circumcisions carried out in unsafe environments.
“As much as circumcision is a simple procedure, things can go wrong, and the consequences can be devastating. This is why it is best undertaken safely in a clinical environment by medical professionals,” said Dr Ijane.
About 70 deaths are reported in South Africa annually, while thousands more are hospitalised for complications due to unsafe circumcisions.
“Just one death due to unsafe circumcisions is one too many. The process should be safe to prevent fatality, injury, trauma or mental and physical scarring,” said Ijane.
The health benefits of circumcision include lowering the risk of HIV transmission by about 60% and better hygiene in circumcised men and their partners.
The World Health Organization recommends that male circumcision should be considered in countries with high HIV infection. Research also indicates that male circumcision may have a positive effect on the risk of sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer in women.
IOL