News / National
68 Zim lawmakers volunteer to be circumcised
21 Jun 2012 at 14:25hrs | Views
Sixty-eight Zimbabwean members of parliament have volunteered to go for male circumcision on Friday in a campaign to curb the spread of HIV and Aids.
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids Blessing Chebundo said the MPs had started undergoing voluntary counselling sessions at Parliament building.
"The response by MPs was very high and we are now doing group counselling sessions to prepare us for the main event on Friday," Chebundo said.
"Counselling sessions will be supported by the New Start Centre, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, as well as the Population Services International (PSI)." Chebundo said six legislators had also offered to undergo Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV, but it was up to individual MPs to announce their results. While male MPs would be circumcised, female MPs were also encouraged to bring forward their spouses for circumcision.
Last month, Magwegwe MP Felix Mafa Sibanda said he was not comfortable with circumcision.
"HIV should be a syllabus for the youths 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," Sibanda said then.
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids Blessing Chebundo said the MPs had started undergoing voluntary counselling sessions at Parliament building.
"The response by MPs was very high and we are now doing group counselling sessions to prepare us for the main event on Friday," Chebundo said.
"Counselling sessions will be supported by the New Start Centre, the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, as well as the Population Services International (PSI)." Chebundo said six legislators had also offered to undergo Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV, but it was up to individual MPs to announce their results. While male MPs would be circumcised, female MPs were also encouraged to bring forward their spouses for circumcision.
Last month, Magwegwe MP Felix Mafa Sibanda said he was not comfortable with circumcision.
"HIV should be a syllabus for the youths 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," Sibanda said then.
Source - Byo24News
