Need for Practical Leadership to Scale Up Medical Male Circumcision

By Isaiah Esipisu

A Kenyan young man undergoing voluntary medical circumcision in Western Ken

Washington DC - The Assistant Minister for Finance Dr Oburu Oginga has joined other world leaders at the ongoing International Aids Conference in Washington DC to urge politicians to take a front line in scaling up Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision – which prevents the risk of HIV infections by about 60 per cent.

“We have had leadership meetings especially in Luo Nyanza to support the issue of male circumcision for medical reasons, but as leaders from other countries have put it, there is an urgent need to do it more rigorously,” said the Assistant Minister.

 

Studies have indicated that circumcised men are less likely to contract HIV, compared to their uncircumcised counterparts. “As experts have put it, circumcision can reduce the possibility of one acquiring the virus by 60 per cent. Considering that there is still not cure, 60 per cent is good enough, and we must embrace it,” said Dr Oginga.

Challenging other political leaders especially from Africa, a member of parliament of Zimbabwe Mr Blessing Chebundo showcased a video documentation showing how 23 members of parliament from the country paraded for voluntary male circumcision in a public function to influence communities.

“There is a huge impact when communities witness the leaders they elected doing such a thing. From that particular function, hundreds of people from local communities including a journalist who was on an official function ended up volunteering for circumcision. Other members of parliament later followed suit increasing the number to 35,” said Chebundo.

However, he admitted that mobilizing such individuals of high repute in the society to take such a personal initiative in public is a hard task, and that it took two years for the Zimbabwean members of parliament to undertake the decision.

The leaders were talking at the XIX International Aids Conference in the United States of America, whose theme is ‘Turning the Tide Together.’

Delegates at the conference recognized Kenya as one of the countries in Africa that have achieved a lot in terms of voluntary male circumcision with approximately 500,000 men having undergone the surgery, especially within the Luo Nyanza region.

In communities that do not practice male circumcision as a cultural rite of passage, the leaders suggested that it would make sense for the parents to take responsibility and circumcise their children at the infancy stage, to avoid a cultural clash.

“I’m not saying that this should be turned into a law or some kind of policy. But I think it is an important undertaking for a parent who wishes their children a healthy future,” said Hon Dr Oginga.

The Assistant Minister’s sentiments were supported by the former President of Tanzania H. E Benjamin Mkapa, who said that there is need for openness when discussing circumcision, and sexuality issues.

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