Around 2000 South African men medically circumcised as part of #ZwakalaSkeem
Saturday, 11 March 2017: Around 2000 men in Gauteng, KZN, Mpumpalanga and the North West are being medically circumcised as part of #ZwakalaSkeem campaign. Among them is Kagiso Modupe (33), well-known South African soapie star and Brothers for Life ambassador, who launched a nation-wide campaign recently to mobilise men to circumcise regardless of their age or health status.
Modupe was circumcised at the Katlehong North Municipal Clinic today, which is just one of 150 clinics in four provinces participating in #ZwakalaSkeem Day. (Meaning “come with me brother”).
Circumcision is proven to reduce the risk of getting infected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and to reduce risk for cervical, anal and prostate cancer. It has benefits for both men and women.
Speaking after the procedure, Modupe said, “I must admit I have been feeling apprehensive but once I had the local anaesthetic, I quickly realised I didn’t need to worry. The clinic staff were amazing and have given me pain killers to take home should I need them. Some guys said I was too old to be circumcised, but this is simply not true. Boys and men can be circumcised at any age. I am so grateful to every single one of the men who are doing the right thing today for themselves and for their partners. I felt so much support, doing it together like this.”
Dr Khumbulani Moyo, Medical Male Circumcision Manager at the USAID-funded Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision consortium consisting of partners Right to Care, CHAPS and MatCH says: “Kagiso has helped open a conversation that many men and their partners find difficult to talk about. He has taken the taboo out of the conversation. He also provided men and their partners with accurate information so they could make an informed decision.”
Dr. Moyo says the exact number of men that were circumcised today will still be established once statistics from all the clinics have come in, emphasising that the booking system for circumcisions nationwide will remain open. To book, send a ‘please call me’ to 082 808 6152.
“Some men raise the issue of traditional over medical circumcision. It is a choice,” explains Dr Moyo. “Medical male circumcisions can take place in a traditional context where it marks the transition from boy to man. The point is to incorporate the medical procedure regardless of religious or cultural background, which is very important from a healthcare perspective.”
“I was circumcised today, but this is just the beginning and I call on all men to circumcise because it is the right thing to do for them and their partners’ health.”
There was a family fun day at the clinic with musical performances from local groups, competitions, DJS and an interactive question and answer session about circumcision.
