Maranyane Ngwanaamotho
25 November 2009
Head of National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA), Christopher Molomo has revealed that though in Botswana homosexuality is outlawed, NACA involves homosexuals in its work to fight HIV/AIDS.
He said that they also provide counselling and treatment to homosexuals. He said that all people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are treated equally regardless of how they got infected or affected by the disease. "We do not ask anybody how they got infected. We will not turn away people who have been infected through engaging in sexual activities with same sex partners," he said.
Molomo was speaking at a briefing on World AIDS Day, which will be commemorated in Kasane on December 1. He said that they usually go to districts to campaign against new infections and to drive behaviour change. Molomo said that they started responding to the HIV/AIDS challenge at a time when the mortality rate was very high. He said that so far 83 percent of people who need ARVs are already receiving them. He holds that this treatment has significantly reduced mortality rate, saying that only less than 10 percent of those on treatment die from the disease.
He said that they are using campaigns like male circumcision, which they are working on with the Ministry of Health to scale up, adding that they have already carried out 3,500 or more circumcision surgeries which have been successful. He indicated that it is a new program still under observation, and they are expecting more people to come forward as upgrading rolls out. He however said that there are people who have misconceptions about circumcision. He stressed that even after circumcision, people have to practice safe sex. "People can still get infected if they engage in unprotected sex." He said that one of the aims of World AIDS Day is to correct these misperceptions. He stressed that during World AIDS Day, the key message will be prevention. "We need to address key sources of problems to prevent them instead of addressing the problem itself." Molomo said that despite the successful campaigns and the drop in mortality rate, there are still new infections occurring, which calls for the need to maximise prevention.
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ML what are you talking about? It seems that you're talking about the vitality or the importancy of culture and society?? Are you trying to say that circumcision have no effect in curving out HIV or AIDS?? How long should you going to be inother to accept the truth of history; Europeans spoil it, Africans fix it? If not, prove me wrong; and I will show you several evidences where Europeans when in with their culture and devastated the environments of those individuals and turn it around to suit their tastes. Or, better say; are you saying that African Scientists are not brilliant enough to explain what's better for their people and Africa as a whole ??? Why are we so exploitative ??? And, please remember that some of the best scientists of previous time came from Africa. This time around Africa and Africans very well and much more know what's better for the countinent and her people. Therefore, you are waisting you ignorancy and stupidity. Why?? Cause Africa isn't going to bow down this time; Africa will not !!!! So whether you like it or not; African Scientists together with the African Union and other Organizations in Africa have said that Circumcission is the best object, motive or way to curve HIV, or AIDS - so be it. God Bless Africa
Foryoh, ML is very correct and I would go further and say that those doctors who are performing these circumcisions "to prevent" HIV/AIDS need to be shot. HIV/AIDS virus is transmitted from one person to the other through BODY FLUIDS, such as seminal fluid during coitus, blood transfusion, the use or sharing of contaminated needles or an accidental contaminated needle prick to a health worker, the mother passing the virus to her unborn child etc. Circumcision in no way shape or form a vaccine or a preventative measure against HIV/AIDS. In fact circumcision helps to SPREAD the disease because those who have been circumcised have the wrong belief and no longer take any safety measures such as the use of condoms or remaining faithful to one non infectious partner. Foryoh, if you are a male, take a good look at your own anatomy and see for yourself how absurd it is that a cutting off of your foreskin would prevent the release of your seminal fluid - no connection. It is a mutilation of your manhood and in fact because your prepuce would now be unprotected, you would be less sensitive in that area and because of that the sexual act is prolonged in turn causing abrasions to the woman and making it even easier for the HIV/AIDS virus to enter her body through those abrasions. The only time circumcision is required is if someone has a tight foreskin causing difficulty in passing urine or certain cancers. Otherwise to keep that area clean, all you need is gently pull back the foreskin and wash. As ML has already said, abstinence, faithfulness and the use of condoms are what will help in the prevention of HIV/ AIDS. Even condoms are not always 100% reliable as people tend to use one condom multiple times and they sometimes tear. So to conclude, I will repeat that circumcision DOES NOT prevent HIV/AIDS and I sincerely hope that perhaps someone's life will be saved trusting what ML and I have said.
Circumcision is a dangerous distraction in the fight against AIDS. There are six African countries where men are more likely to be HIV+ if they've been circumcised: Cameroon, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, and Swaziland. Eg in Malawi, the HIV rate is 13.2% among circumcised men, but only 9.5% among intact men. In Rwanda, the HIV rate is 3.5% among circumcised men, but only 2.1% among intact men. If circumcision really worked against AIDS, this just wouldn't happen. We now have people calling circumcision a "vaccine" or "invisible condom", and viewing circumcision as an alternative to condoms.
The one randomized controlled trial into male-to-female transmission showed a 54% higher rate in the group where the men had been circumcised btw.
ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, Condoms) is the way forward. Promoting genital surgery will cost African lives, not save them.