While male circumcision is not a new phenomemon in Africa, since several African ethnic and traditional groups conduct the procedure as part of their religious or traditional rites, primarily as a rite of passage marking a boy’s entrance into adulthood, lately male circumcision is being promoted alongside other HIV prevention and reproductive health strategies.

 This comes after more than 50 research studies have concluded that male circumcision, when conducted properly, under the right conditions by qualified personnel, significantly reduces the risk of heterosexual HIV infection.

 In Zimbabwe, clinics offering male circumcision have just opened. In some sections of society there is a lot of excitement with men expressing the desire to be circumcised. This is the perfect time for journalists working in Zimbabwe and the region to supply as much information as they can to their audiences so that people can make informed choices.

Key issues:

• While it is a fact that male circumcision, which is the surgical removal of the foreskin covering the head of the penis, reduces the risk of HIV infection in men by approximately 60 percent, it is the media’s role to ensure that men know that being circumcised is not a licence for irresponsible sexual behaviour. One can still get HIV when they are circumcised if they do not use condoms correctly and consistently each time they are with a partner whose status they do not know.
• It is also key that the media looks at the availability of the service. Each time a new strategy that seeks to improve the welfare of people is unveiled, demand is created. There is need for journalists to ensure that all countries who are promoting MC are making it readily available to all those who need it.
• Male circumcision is part of a broader sexual and reproductive health package. While it is being made available, it is also important to check that condoms, testing and counselling services, post exposure prophylaxis prevention of mother-to-child transmission services and antiretroviral treatment, among other services that form part of a functional health system, are also being made available.
• In some countries many men, including those who do not know their HIV status, have rushed to get circumcised in the belief that they are vaccinating themselves against HIV. The media has the crucial role of ensuring that their audiences are aware that MC is not recommended for HIV positive men, as it offers no health benefits to them or their partners. MC does not prevent an HIV infected man from transmitting HIV to their partners and wound healing may also take longer in HIV positive men, than in those who are negative.
• After MC one needs to allow the wound eight weeks to heal. Sexual activity is not encouraged during this time. The media needs to ensure that people who choose to go for MC have all this information. It is also important to lobby through your coverage for counselling of all MC patients before they are actually circumcised.
• While side effects and complications are rare after MC, the media has the duty to highlight all of them, so that people make informed decisions.
• Some men were circumcised years ago. This includes the Tonga, Xhosa and Venda groups. It would be interesting to find out what the HIV prevalence in those communities is like.
• Get the people’s thoughts on MC. It would be good to include the people’s voices into the stories we do on the subject

 

 

Sources:

www.mediaresourcedesk.org

www.safaids.org

www.thestandard.co.zw

www.nac.org.zw