The winter months are normally associated with the traditional circumcision season in South Africa. Thus, it is not entirely surprising that clinics that offer medical male circumcision are also experiencing a surge in the number of boys who want to be circumcised this winter.
In just one week following the start of the winter school holidays over 1000 boys queued up to get circumcised at the Zola and the Bophelo Pele clinics in Soweto and Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, respectively. By 11h00 on the morning of my visit, more than 30 boys had already been circumcised at the Zola Clinic for Medical Male Circumcision.
"This morning, so far, we have done 35. By 12h00 we would have done 50. By 15h00 we would have done 85. By 17h00 we would have done 120", said Dr Thembinkosi Ngwenya, a senior doctor at the clinic.
Dr Dino Rech, co-founder and medical director of the Centre of HIV and AIDS Prevention Studies (CHAPS), which in partnership with government, runs the Zola and Orange Farm medical male circumcision clinics, said the surge in numbers was expected.
"The clinic's always busy and we average around 50 boys a day in normal months. I think a lot of boys have heard about it and they wait for school holiday periods - and there is still the traditional belief that in winter it's a better time to circumcise because it's cold and more hygienic. So, we see men waiting for the winter school holidays, specifically, but school holidays in general - when we have a surge of sustained numbers of up to 100 boys a day that we're doing", Said Dr Rech.
In one week only, from 27 June to 01 July, the Zola Clinic for Medical Male Circumcision has performed 559 circumcisions, while the Bophelo Clinic in Orange Farm has circumcised 525 boys. The demand has meant that working hours and some of the staff turn-around had to increase.
"A normal working day would normally be from 09h00 until about 16h30. We're starting at 07h00 and we're ending at 19h00. With our Saturday shifts normally being 09h00 - 13h00, our Saturday shifts have been extended to 14h00 - 15h00 to try and do extra boys. We've had to just increase the doctors. Generally, there is one doctor that mans the clinic when our numbers are at around 50 a day. But to go at a 100 and above, we're having to use two and, sometimes, a third doctor. But our nursing staff is maintained the same. The pressure's on everyone, but the nurses really take the bulk of the pressure working at an intense rate for extended periods of time", according to Dr Rech.
Most of the advertising for the clinics is through word of mouth. Fifteen year-old Buhle, who also goes by the name Mr Swagger, is one of the 35 boys who had already had the fore-skins removed by 11h00 on the day of my visit to Zola Clinic.
"My cousin told me that in Zola Clinic there is circumcision for free. He came first and then I circumcised today", said the teenager with the bling-blings.
Why did you want to circumcise, I asked Buhle.
"To avoid the diseases because in South Africa there are many diseases by having sex with no condom. So, it protects you from the diseases because if you are circumcised, it's 60% less diseases", he replied.
Did you have to talk to your parents about circumcising?
"Yes, it's them who told me that I have to come circumcise", he said.
Then, he gushed about the quality of counselling he got at the centre.
"Oh, counselling! It's the counseling that made me to be here today because I wasn't going to be here because I was scared. The counselling is very good because it's talking to you to know how to know yourself, know your status they even test you here high blood, sugar. They were telling us about condoms, how to use them. Condoms are important because if you are circumcised there is 60% less (chances of getting HIV), but if you use condoms that 40% is going to be on that means 100% safer for you".
Are you already sexually active, I went on to ask.
"Haai, no! I'm still young for that! After marriage", then he laughed.
Professional nurse and centre manager at Zola Clinic, Pauline Mulashi-Biola, said they have circumcised more than 5 000 men since the service opened in November 2010. On average, the young men who come in for circumcision are between the ages of 18 - 35. But since the winter school holidays started, the age has dropped to 15 - 20. However, they will not circumcise any young boy without the consent of the parents or guardians.
"Now it's a lot of school boys - the 15 years until 17 years. They have to come with the parents for - approval for the consent form", Mulashi-Biola, said.
Not only has the clinic increased the number of circumcised boys. It has also increased the number of boys who take up HIV counselling and testing. And so has the Bophelo Pele centre in Orange Farm. Over 80% of the 1084 boys who were circumcised at both centres have accepted the HIV test. Scientific research shows that circumcised men have a 60% less risk of infection. Combined with the use of condoms, the protectiveness is increased.
Comments Post a comment
From the USAID report "LEVELS AND SPREAD OF HIV SEROPREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS: EVIDENCE FROM NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS" "There appears no clear pattern of association between male circumcision and HIV prevalencein 8 of 18 countries with data, HIV prevalence is lower among circumcised men, while in the remaining 10 countries it is higher." http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/CR22/CR22.pdf
The South African National Communication Survey on HIV/AIDS, 2009 found that 15% of adults across age groups "believe that circumcised men do not need to use condoms". http://www.info.gov.za/issues/hiv/survey_2009.htm
From the committee of the South African Medical Association Human Rights, Law & Ethics Committee : "the Committee expressed serious concern that not enough scientifically-based evidence was available to confirm that circumcisions prevented HIV contraction and that the public at large was influenced by incorrect and misrepresented information. The Committee reiterated its view that it did not support circumcision to prevent HIV transmission."
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. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)60998-3/a bstract
ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, and especially Condoms) is the way forward. Promoting genital surgery will cost African lives, not save them.
From the USAID report "LEVELS AND SPREAD OF HIV SEROPREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS: EVIDENCE FROM NATIONAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEYS" "There appears no clear pattern of association between male circumcision and HIV prevalencein 8 of 18 countries with data, HIV prevalence is lower among circumcised men, while in the remaining 10 countries it is higher."
The South African National Communication Survey on HIV/AIDS, 2009 found that 15% of adults across age groups "believe that circumcised men do not need to use condoms".
From the committee of the South African Medical Association Human Rights, Law & Ethics Committee : "the Committee expressed serious concern that not enough scientifically-based evidence was available to confirm that circumcisions prevented HIV contraction and that the public at large was influenced by incorrect and misrepresented information. The Committee reiterated its view that it did not support circumcision to prevent HIV transmission."
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, and especially Condoms) is the way forward. Promoting genital surgery will cost African lives, not save them.
Belief it; as we said before on this particular topic and situation, Africa and Africans will do what is beneficialry to Africa and prevent her children from further destruction. Therefore, if CIRCUMCISION is the right way to curtail and prevent must of these man made diseases in Africa - so be it. We "Africans and Africa" are here to do what is better, pleaseing and beneficialry to our people, not to the enemies.
Circumcision does not prevent anything. Never has, never will. Look, I'm sorry, but you're being fed lies. What are you going to do when you wake up with AIDS because you were careless because you thought circumcision was going to protect you? HIV was found to be more prevalent among the circumcised in Cameroon, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda and Swaziland. According to USAID, HIV was prevalent among the circumcised in 10 out of 18 African countries. I'm afraid circumcision is a waste of money and blood.
Well, let's assume that some of us hasn't read the research that came out. Circumcision can limite the spread of HIV/AIDS; likewise withoust an individual not being circumcize, that individual is in great danger of being infected. So, if you wanted to proof me wrong; please get intouch with the United Nations. Furthermore, please bear in mind that Africa have scientists, and many of these African Scientists went to some of the best schools on Earth. With that said, it will be hard for them to lie to their own people realizing that their own people are being kill in the thousands by this man made disease?? That's a point you get to look at.
See All Comments