CHIEF Mumena of the Kaonde people has called on women to encourage their partners to seek male circumcision services.
Speaking at a voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) stakeholders meeting held recently at Hotel Inter-Continental in Lusaka, the traditional leader called for an increase in male circumcision communication.
"Male circumcision is about survival. Women should realise that male circumcision helps prevent cervical cancer, thus women should demand for their partners to get circumcised," she said.
The meeting, which drew participants from diverse spheres such as health institutions, non- govermental organisations and the Ministry of Health, was meant to review the progress of VMMC activities in Zambia for the months of August and September.
At the same event, Health Deputy Minister Patrick Chikusu said the Government recorded 62,000 circumcisions during the period under review.
He said the number was double the target of 30,000 males who were targeted for circumcision in the country.
"This is a monumental achievement and substantial contribution to HIV prevention. Moreover, this campaign marks a significant milestone in the scale-up of the national male circumcision programme," he said.
Dr Chikusu also reiterated the call for women to convince their partners to get circumcised.
Mark Storella, who is United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Zambia, said the US Government had tripled its contribution towards the male circumcision exercise for Zambia.
"We commend the Zambian Government for allocating K1.3 billion to support male circumcision and thus we have tripled our contribution to now be US$17 million towards the circumcision programme," he said.
Mr Storella said it was now possible to see a generation free of HIV/AIDS and that prevention is an effective tool alongside voluntary testing, availability of condoms and safe sex practices.
The meeting was partly organised by JPIEGO and PEPFAR as well as the Ministry of Health, and also involved an awards ceremony for male circumcisiobn sites which had done well for the months of August to September.
The Copperbelt Province won the best overall performance nationwide.
The best performing JPIEGO-supported provinces were won by Western, Central and Copperbelt provinces.
Mukinge Mission Hospital, and Loloma and Namwala general hospitals got the most improved sites award while the best performing sites awards were given to Lewanika, Kabwe and Kitwe general hospitals.
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The cause of cervical cancer is HPV infection not foreskin (Walboomers 1999). Male circumcision actually makes men 62% MORE likely to infect their female partners with HIV (Wawer & Gray 2009). Circumcision makes sex less enjoyable for both woman and man, because it increases the friction in sex by 10 times (Taves 2002) and the foreskin contains the three most sensitive parts of the penis (Sorrells 2007). Also circumcised men often do not use condoms as consistently as intact/uncircumcised men, because they feel like condoms reduce sensitivity too much to enjoy after circumcision reduced sensitivity so much. ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, and Condoms) is the way to stop HIV and other sexual disease not cutting off the most sensitive part of the penis.
Data does not show HIV, HPV or any STD change or any real benefit to cutting off parts of a baby boys penis in the US, EU JP....In Africa the same % of cut men and natural penis men have HIV. Real world population studies show that a man with a natural penis is at no higher risk of HIV and HPV. Cervical cancer is not avoided by mutilating men.
The International Journal of Men's Health published results of a study that showed circumcised men are 4.5 times more likely to experience erectile dysfunction due to loss of sensitivity. In a further study, The British Journal of Urology International reports that circumcised men can experience up to a 75 percent reduction in sensitivity compared to men who are not circumcised.
The knowledge of the this WOUNDING affecting sexual pleasure and function goes back years so there is NO IF as to SEXUAL HARM, it is a matter of HOW BAD IS IT for any particular guy. Maimonides (the Torah scholar) noted that the act that circumcision weakens the faculty of sexual excitement and sometimes perhaps diminishes the pleasure is indubitable. Kellogg declared a ‘war on masturbation’ at the end of the 19th century and advocated circumcision to curb male sexual urges by removing the main male pleasure parts.
The parts of the penis that are cut off are some of the most highly innervated parts of the human. The lips, nipples and fingertips have similar touch sense. To push this unnatural practice is wrong.