North West Health hosts Male Medical Circumcision Summit, 4 to 5 Oct

The North West Department of Health will hold a two day Male Medical Circumcision Summit with the intention to engage stakeholders and develop a strategy on an integrated model. The summit will be held at Rustenburg Kloof Safari Lodge, from 4-5 October 2019.

Male Medical Circumcision (MMC) has been identified as a key pillar in the fight against HIV. Circumcision reduces the risk of contracting HIV by up to 60%. Using condoms reduces this risk even further.

Expected at the MMC Summit includes traditional leaders, stakeholders that perform MMC like Aurum Institute and Center for HIV and AIDS Prevention Studies (CHAPS), and other role players.

Members of the media are invited to the summit that is scheduled to start at 9h00.

Important information on male medical circumcision:

• Three clinical trials done in Uganda, Kenya and Orange Farm in South Africa showed consistent results that male circumcision reduces the risk for a circumcised heterosexual man.
• Risk of HIV is reduced by 60% if a man in South Africa is circumcised.
• The age of first sexual activity in South Africa is 16 years, which highlights the importance of early circumcision.
• South African Government, plans to circumcise 650, 000 by end of March 2019.
• 25 275 young men need to be circumcised in the North West Province by March 2019 at all circumcision sites in the province.
• Circumcision is a very safe procedure. Only 1-2% of all circumcisions have a problem – in most instances it is minor and resolved within a few days.
• Men who are circumcised can go back to school or work the next day.
• It takes about two hours at the clinic to be circumcised – this includes HIV testing, counseling about circumcision and the procedure itself. The actual circumcision takes about 15 minutes.

Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Cell: 082 929 9958
E-mail: Tlekgethwane@nwpg.gov.za