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as part of measures to reduce the spread of the deadly HIV/Aids pandemic.
The national coordinator of male circumcision Dr Sinokuthemba Xaba said a research study by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare meant to facilitate the introduction of neonatal circumcision on a national level, had already been completed.
Dr Xaba said the introduction of neonatal circumcision was meant to increase the number of circumcised males in the country.
“Neo-natal circumcision is targeted at new born males and children. These will as a result be exposed to the medical benefits of the procedure at a tender age. The consent of the parents will however be given first preference before any operation is done.
“It is hoped that neonatal circumcision will scale up the number of circumcised men which at the moment is just ten percent and enable the country to reach or even surpass our target of having 1,2 million males circumcised by 2015,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare findings, about 1 500 new infections are prevented for every 200 000 babies circumcised.
Meanwhile, the Women and AIDS Support Network (WASN) will tomorrow launch a new modified female condom in a bid to encourage the increased usage of the product in fighting against HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
The launch will take place in Gokwe South district in the Midlands province.
WASN will distribute more than 2 000 female condoms, in partnership with the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council.
WASN Information manager Ms Evince Mugumbate said the launch was an initiative meant to empower women in negotiating for safer sex.
The condom will be launched two days after the start of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign and four days before World Aids Day.
In Africa, the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV remains high with women constituting 59 percent of people living with HIV.
In a related development, Population Services International (PSI) on Friday officially launched a new male circumcision centre at Bulawayo’s Lobengula Clinic in a bid to increase the accessibility of male circumcision services in the country.
Before the launch, the country had 39 centres, excluding traditional ceremonies, where men could be circumcised.
The new centre, situated in New Lobengula is also likely to ease congestion at the Bulawayo Eye Clinic, the only permanent place where the exercise was being carried out in the city.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Thaba Moyo said the centre was a testimony of the determination of partners who fight HIV, to reduce infections in the community.
Reading a speech on behalf of the director of Aids and Tuberculosis in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Owen Mugurungi, National Coordinator for male circumcision Dr Sinokuthemba Xaba said male circumcision services would spread to district levels to make it accessible to people in rural areas.
Zimbabwe Director for PSI Ms Louisa Norman encouraged everyone to be part of the male circumcision drive to prevent scores of HIV cases by 2015.
derick.khumalo