Avoid circumcision deaths
IT IS that time of the year again when provincial health departments and the media are dominated by reports of botched circumcisions in different parts of the country.
So far, it has been reported that at least 10 Eastern Cape teenagers have had to be hospitalised after their initiation rituals.
This is too much, considering the initiation school season has hardly begun.
It is an indication that there will be bad reports when MECs for cooperative governance officially launch this year ’ s season.
I plead with members of the public and parents to cooperate with the government and initiation school operators.
I also urge all initiation school operators to send all chil- dren who are no longer coping with the initiation school environment to hospital.
Remember that an antelope is killed while it is sighing, meaning that a problem must be solved immediately. Don ’ t only send them to hospital when it ’ s too late to save their lives or their penises.
Another thing to consider is that not everyone is qualified to run a proper initiation school. Quality control and regular checks by the department of health would go a long way to save our brothers.
As a black man who values and respects his culture, I think we will manage to have quality initiation schools only when the government starts training initiation school operators and screens surgeons.
The government should ensure that no illegal initiation schools are run this year.
This would help to avoid unnecessary deaths because most of the deaths happen at illegal schools.
Legal action should be taken against people who are responsible for the deaths of initiates.
I disagree with those who claim that traditional male circumcision is a harmful practice that should be outlawed.
We need it, but procedures must be followed before someone is granted permission to run a school in a particular area.
Let ’ s value and respect our cultures by running safe initiation schools.
Miyelani Hlungwani
by e-mail