The Ministry of Health has circumcised about 35,000 people in Eastern Province since January this year to help reduce the spread of HIV.
And Eastern Province provincial health director Kennedy Kabuswe has commended the traditional leadership in the region for their commitment to promoting good health practices among their subjects.

Dr Kabuswe told journalists in Chipata recently that circumcision is important as it provides 60 percent protection from contracting HIV among men and sexually active boys. He said circumcision also helps in reducing cervical cancer cases in women. He said the provincial administration will continue encouraging more men and boys in the province to get circumcised.

“About 12,959 adolescents have undergone voluntary circumcision during the August Male Circumcision Campaign,”he said. And Dr Kabuswe has commended the Zimbabwean delegation that recently visited Eastern Province on a fact-finding mission to learn the strides the province has made in the fight against HIV and AIDS through the engagement of traditional leaders. Dr Kabuswe said his office has also learnt a lot through the exchange of knowledge with the Zimbabweans.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe national male circumcision coordinator Sinokuthemba Xaba said his team has learnt a lot from Zambia and will use the knowledge acquired to engage traditional leadership to encourage men and boys to embrace circumcision.
Mr Xaba said circumcision is regarded as a foreign practice in Zimbabwe.

He said plans are under way to send some traditional leaders to Zambia to learn some of the best health practices at community level.