Men seeking to be circumcised have overwhelmed the free Medical Circumcision clinic in Gulu. The clinic that opened this morning at Gulu hospital has attracted several males ranging from few months old babies to adult males over forty years old.
Ismail Aziz, one of the men who turned up to be circumcised says that he has been waiting for the opportunity over along period of time. He said most times his dreams to get circumcised were hindered by the medical fees charged at health facilities.
Aziz explains that he has been attracted to the service because he heard it provides numerous health benefits.
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Medical reports say that circumcision offered men with 60 percent protection against HIV, the virus that causes Aids. The reports add that circumcision also promotes hygiene and reduces the risk of cervical cancer in their females.
Aziz also says that as a new convert to Islam from the Catholic Church, he feels his conversion is incomplete without getting circumcised as demanded by the Islamic faith.
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Paul Sserubiri, the coordinator of Male Circumcision project under the Catholic Medical Mission Board, the financiers of the exercise says they are implementing a government program to include male circumcision among the comprehensive measures to combat HIV/Aids transmission.
He explains that the program was started in Apac district about three months ago where over one thousand men were circumcised. He added that the choice of Apac and Gulu district was because they conducted a research that found a low level of circumcision rate in most areas of northern Uganda.
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However, Dr Nathan Onucho, the medial Surgeon at Gulu hospital who is performing the surgeries has warned the newly circumcised men against engaging in risky sexual behavior saying circumcision does not provide a hundred percent protection.
Male circumcision is the latest strategy in the fight against HIV/Aids to be endorsed
