The government is targeting nearly 15,000 boys and men in the Eastern Cape to volunteer to undergo medical circumcision in the next three years as part of nationwide efforts to prevent HIV infection.
A tender for a service provider for the programme closed in January, and the campaign is expected to start in the upcoming financial year.
Boys aged 10 and older will be eligible for the programme, according to guidelines in the tender specifications.
The appointed service provider would also be expected to provide health education to the volunteers on the benefits of circumcision and improve their knowledge of safe sexual practices.
After obtaining informed consent from parents of the participants, pre- and post-circumcision counselling will be provided.
Targets have been set for various districts.
The OR Tambo area is expected to recruit 2,969 volunteers to take part in the programme in the next three years, while Nelson Mandela Bay is looking to rope in 2,759, Amathole 1,975, Chris Hani 1,774, Alfred Nzo 1,639, Buffalo City Metro 1,604, Sarah Baartman 1,099 and Joe Gqabi 867.
Provincial health spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said the Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) programme was part of the department’s core health responsibility to reduce the rate of HIV infections.
“The department is sensitive to the cultural aspect of [traditional circumcision].
“As such, MMC is only done as an HIV intervention within particular districts, unlike other provinces where circumcision is not regarded as part of their culture.”
The Eastern Cape Aids Council’s head of secretariat Vuyisa Dayile said MMC remained one of the key HIV-prevention strategies.
“We welcome any campaign aimed at making sure new HIV infections are significantly reduced in the Eastern Cape.
“We are attempting to make sure that we reach the 2030 vision of ‘ending Aids’.
“This initiative will go a long way in assisting the province to reach that vision.”
The World Health Organisation and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) have, since 2007, recommended voluntary medical male circumcision as an “important strategy for the prevention of HIV in men where the prevalence of heterosexually transmitted HIV is high”.
The WHO said more than 25 million-men and adolescent boys in East and Southern Africa had undergone such circumcisions.
“Decisions on offering MMC to younger adolescents aged 10 to 14 years must consider several factors based on new safety evidence, human rights guidance, public health burden and the delayed effect on HIV incidence, and the capacity of healthcare providers,” the WHO said.
About 207,159 boys and men nationally are expected to take part in the MMC programme in the next three years, with Gauteng topping the list of targeted participants.
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