Health minister allays fears foreskins could be sold

Men are embroiled in a dispute with Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa over fears are being illicitly to the global cosmetics industry and traditional leaders.

Parirenyatwa said that the foreskins are part of surgical waste incinerated at health institutions.

All human tissues removed from body, including foreskins, are disposed of through recommended methods stipulated by the Human Tissues Act of 1982, the National Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Programme (VMMC), which is under the Health ministry, has said.

In a statement released on Tuesday, VMMC said all foreskins removed as part of the programme are disposed of at each health facility as part of surgical waste.

"Disposal of the foreskins is done through incineration at recommended temperatures in the same manner that other body tissues such as fetuses and limbs from amputations are destroyed after surgical procedure," read the statement.

Opposition MDC-T senator for Matabeleland South, Sithembile Mlotshwa, recently called for the ban of circumcision of men under the age of 18 saying their foreskins could be used for witchcraft.

She also said those who carry out the procedure should give back patients their foreskins.

In South Africa there were reports that foreskins normally removed in illicit clinics have found a lucrative market in the beauty industry where they are used as an ingredient for facial surgeries and skin care.

There were fears that those who buy the foreskins might cross over to Zimbabwe to expand their market.