News / National
Zim lawmakers to be circumcised by end of next month
19 May 2012 at 05:18hrs | Views
Hundreds of Zimbabwean MPs will be circumcised by the end of next month to help popularise the latest HIV/Aids prevention method.
The 175 lawmakers would also undergo HIV tests and counselling, Mr Blessing Chebundo, the chairperson of Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids (ZIPAH) told NewsDay newspaper today.
"We will walk the talk as role models and lead by example to embark on voluntary HIV testing and male circumcision, as well as to inspire young people to do the same," he said.
"We need to go down to constituencies, provinces, districts, wards and villages as ZIPAH to spread messages to fight HIV/Aids and encourage males to undergo voluntary circumcision," he added.
Mr Chebundo said 20 MPs had already booked appointments for circumcision at various centres set up by the government and donors.
"Almost 175 MPs who are members of ZIPAH are in support of this and also 25 members of staff at Parliament," he said.
"We are still updating the list of volunteers. Obviously, female MPs are not going for circumcision, but we have encouraged their spouses to join us," he added.
Previous studies have indicated that male circumcision reduces the risk of men contracting HIV during heterosexual intercourse by about 60 per cent.
But experts have warned that circumcision should not replace other prevention methods.
In 2009, Zimbabwe launched a massive circumcision drive targeting at least 1.2 million men. Last year, the government encouraged cabinet ministers and MPs to join the drive in order to popularise it.
However, during debate on the pledge by the lawmakers to undergo circumcision on today some MPs felt it was a waste of resources as most of them were now "too old".
"HIV should be a syllabus for the youth at a tender age â€" not to tell us here in Parliament when I am already 65 years old and you tell me to go and get circumcised when I have sired 18 children without circumcision," one of the MPs, Magalela Sibanda, was quoted as saying.
Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. However, the rates have declined dramatically from 29 per cent of the population in 1997 to just over 14 per cent last year.
The 175 lawmakers would also undergo HIV tests and counselling, Mr Blessing Chebundo, the chairperson of Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids (ZIPAH) told NewsDay newspaper today.
"We will walk the talk as role models and lead by example to embark on voluntary HIV testing and male circumcision, as well as to inspire young people to do the same," he said.
"We need to go down to constituencies, provinces, districts, wards and villages as ZIPAH to spread messages to fight HIV/Aids and encourage males to undergo voluntary circumcision," he added.
Mr Chebundo said 20 MPs had already booked appointments for circumcision at various centres set up by the government and donors.
"Almost 175 MPs who are members of ZIPAH are in support of this and also 25 members of staff at Parliament," he said.
"We are still updating the list of volunteers. Obviously, female MPs are not going for circumcision, but we have encouraged their spouses to join us," he added.
Previous studies have indicated that male circumcision reduces the risk of men contracting HIV during heterosexual intercourse by about 60 per cent.
But experts have warned that circumcision should not replace other prevention methods.
In 2009, Zimbabwe launched a massive circumcision drive targeting at least 1.2 million men. Last year, the government encouraged cabinet ministers and MPs to join the drive in order to popularise it.
However, during debate on the pledge by the lawmakers to undergo circumcision on today some MPs felt it was a waste of resources as most of them were now "too old".
"HIV should be a syllabus for the youth at a tender age â€" not to tell us here in Parliament when I am already 65 years old and you tell me to go and get circumcised when I have sired 18 children without circumcision," one of the MPs, Magalela Sibanda, was quoted as saying.
Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. However, the rates have declined dramatically from 29 per cent of the population in 1997 to just over 14 per cent last year.
Source - nation
