Pretoria - A collaboration that safely upholds an age-old tradition has resulted in the medical circumcision of 71 boys between the ages of 9 and 17 in the industrial town of Sasolburg.
The Rite Cut initiative saw Netcare Vaalpark Hospital, the Netcare Foundation and the Fezile Dabi district unite in a landmark event which will have an impact on the community.
The group resolved to work together to assist children and young adults from disadvantaged population groups in the area who have chosen medical circumcision. They explained that the screening programme conducted as part of the Right Cut initiative identified several uncomplicated cases.
“As part of our agreement with the district, we provided post-operative care where access to a clean water supply posed challenges while offering to assist with any possible post-operative complications.
“In addition, the programme included pre-op health talks and follow-up care instructions in Sesotho and English,” the group said.
A certificate of bravery, which carried every patient’s name and a bravery sticker, was an essential and popular component of the programme.
The feedback from the community was overwhelmingly positive and heart-warming, with the young men proudly showing off their certificates.
Traditional male circumcision (ulwaluko), an initiation rite which marks the transition from childhood to adulthood, holds deep cultural significance in South Africa, said Mande Toubkin, a general manager at Netcare.
“In many traditional societies, expectations surrounding circumcision are undeniably powerful and have led to instances where young men have undergone unsafe non-medical circumcisions, often with potentially life-threatening repercussions.
“As health-care workers, we are mindful of the profound cultural significance of traditional male circumcision and the safety and well-being of these young men,” she said.
Pretoria News