DURBAN - Prince Nhlanganiso Zulu, son of the late monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini, recently attended an event to encourage medical male circumcision.
The event was held in Vosloorus on Saturday and included traditional leaders from across Gauteng. Prince Nhlanganiso Zulu said that medical male circumcision was a core component of South Africa’s HIV prevention strategy since 2010.
“My father helped end the taboo related to male circumcision in his bid to reduce HIV infection rates.”
Prince Zulu said that there was a tendency for men to be afraid of medical circumcision.
“I call on all men to undergo medical circumcision - getting circumcised is the right thing to do for your health and the health of your partner. Men tend to avoid health facilities, but I encourage them to step forward to set a new example for their sons because avoidance can have dire consequences.”
The prince also reiterated his late father’s message against gender-based violence (GBV) by making men present at the event to sign a pledge against it.
“I commit to playing my part in ending GBV by being a positive role model, a mentor and not allowing any form of violence to take place without doing something about it. I commit to protecting and living according to the high values that I have set for myself and my fellow men. I commit to being part of the change. I say enough is enough.”
The prince is partnering with NGOs Right to Care, Population Services International and Jhpiego to implement his men’s health Isibaya Samadoda movement.
The movement encourages men to focus on their physical and emotional wellness coupled with their cultural identity.
“All three organisations support the National Department of Health with the country’s circumcision programme and aim to perform more than 310 000 medical male circumcisions in the next twelve months.”
Dr Khumbulani Moyo, Project Director at Right To Care, said that the Covid-19 pandemic had caused a decrease in the number of medical male circumcisions (MMC).
“Like many healthcare interventions, medical male circumcision has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. To increase the uptake of healthcare services like MMC, we aim to take healthcare to men and ensure they can access services in a confidential setting. It also means close collaboration between the traditional and healthcare sectors to ensure that each community’s unique context is taken into account.”
Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, who was in attendance at the event, said he couldn't stress enough the importance of medical male circumcision.
“The health benefits associated with medical male circumcision include reduced risks of contracting HIV and some STIs – regardless of your HIV status. Circumcision also helps prevent penile cancer in men and cervical cancer in their female partners.”
THE MERCURY