Maravi

Katema implores Zambian men to get circumcised
By Fridah Nkonde
Wed 24 July 2013, 14:01 CAT

COMMENT - Josph Katema is a fool. There is absolutely no evidence that circumcision prevents HIV infection of men, which is what it is touted as. Otherwise, circumcision is just an unneccessary and therefore unnecessarily risky medical procedure. It has the backing of hundreds of millions of dollars in donor aid, which should tell you all you need to know whose interests are being served with this continent wide campaign. To read about the fraud that is at the core of this universal circumcision drive in Africa, read here and here. The 'circumcision prevents HIV infection' claim is based on 3 surveys, 2 of which were 'stopped short for benefit', which is fraud. - MrK

COMMUNITY Development Mother and Child Health Minister Joseph Katema says all Zambian men need to be convinced to go for voluntary medical male circumcision. And Dr Katema says Zambia's National Male Circumcision programme is one of the most successful in Africa.

I'm sure the donors will be pleased to hear that. - MrK

Meanwhile, the ministry of Community Development intends to circumcise 45,000 males during the August campaign. During the launch of the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) August campaign in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Katema said there was need to dispel myths on male circumcision.

"We can only achieve this impact if we can convince all Zambian men to seek the service, while continuing other preventive measures such as correct and consistent condom use. We cannot continue to allow myths to prevent our men from undergoing a procedure which has the potential to save their lives. We need to dispel myths on male circumcision which does not: prevent pregnancy, cause impotence or erectile dysfunction, cure a man who is HIV positive," Dr Katema said.

He, however, said male circumcision had a number of other health benefits such as the reduction of urinary tract infections in infants, the reduction of penile cancer and protection against sexually transmitted infections in males.

Dr Katema said there was need to actively contribute to ensuring that Zambia achieved universal coverage of male circumcision.

Meanwhile, VMMC national coordinator Dr Albert Kaonga said to achieve universal coverage, Zambia needed to reach 1.9 million HIV negative adult males by 2015.

Dr Kaonga said over 400,000 VMMCs had been performed to date, adding that 107,000 males had been circumcised from January to July this year.

Labels: CIRCUMCISION, FRAUD, HIV/AIDS, JOSEPH KATEMA

posted by MrK @ 3:57 PM