Men, particularly elderly men, are encouraged to take advantage of the free circumcision performed at Tshepong Medical Solutions in Rockville Temba before the contract for free circumcision expires in September this year.
Dr Thabo Lerumo of Tshepong Medical Solutions at Rockville in Temba, said elderly men are the target of the campaign however, mostly younger men come through for the procedure.
This is a campaign that has been running from 2011 to stop the spread of HIV, and there are other campaigns that deal with other sexually transmitted diseases.
Dr Lerumo said in partnership with the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), they mobilise and campaign in local communities and in schools to attract men to take advantage of the free circumcision instead of traditional initiation circumcision.
The downside of traditional initiation circumcision is that it is expensive and it is not safe compared to professional institutions.
In 2010, a study discovered that male circumcision prevented the chance of HIV infection by 60-70% and that it prevented the contagion of STDs and cervix cancer in females.
Men who are not circumcised could have male reproduction complications that if not treated could lead to sterility.
A young boy who had just been circumcised when Moretele Times was at the surgery, said he was glad he had undergone the procedure at the centre instead of at an initiation school which takes place in the cold bushes.
A resident of Leboneng, 19 year old Michael Seopedi, said he was not aware of the free circumcision and said he is now going to undergo the procedure.
“I have seen the adverts about the free circumcision on TV but I was not aware that we have the service here in Hammanskraal, I will even recommend it to my friends,” he said.
