Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has reiterated his call for all males to undergo medical male circumcision. He was addressing hundreds of people gathered at MaMaqadini in Inanda north of Durban during the launch of the millionth man to be circumcised in KwaZulu-Natal.
Television actor Melusi Yeni became the millionth man. The procedure was performed by Health MEC Sbonginseni Dhlomo at the Sivananda Clinic in the Ohlange area north of Durban.
King Zwelithini started a campaign with the aim that all men in the province should be circumcised to help prevent HIV transmission.
41-year old Malusi Yeni has become an ambassador for the campaign, and is planning to visit various communities. “We are here in Inanda, it is a proud moment for myself to be the one millionth man. The initiative is to say to men let’s get into the clinic, hospitals and circumcise. It’s for our health benefit, 60 percent chance of getting STIs reduced and all other diseases , lets chase this two million, together we can.”
KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Sbongiseni Dhlomo, who performed the surgery on Yeni, says all men should be circumcised even those who are HIV positive. Dhlomo says the campaign is targeting males between the ages of 13 and 75, which research has shown to be sexually active.
“What we are excited about is that he is number 1 million to be circumcised and there are no deaths in this province since the circumcision started. His task as a celebrity is that he must go out there and motivate other million people to circumcise. It’s not just a practice of circumcision that is an issue but it’s the consequences and the benefit.”
In 2009 Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini made an appeal for all males to get circumcised. Zwelithini has thanked traditional leaders for ensuring they encourage people to circumcise.
“As the Zulu-King I would like to thank Amakhosi who have taken this campaign to their areas. Let’s not stop but get more males to be circumcised. People should listen to the advices given by the adults, the traditional leaders and medical practitioners to live long. Let’s continue with this campaign.”
According to medical research circumcision reduces chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases by up to sixty percent.
