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which is in Masvingo Province, is home to Shangani people whose custom requires that men should be circumcised.
Officially opening a two-day Zimbabwe Aids Conference at a Masvingo hotel on Wednesday, Governor Maluleke applauded Shangani people for scaling up efforts towards eradication of new HIV infections through male circumcision.

The conference was held under the theme, “Scaling up, owning and sustaining community capacity in HIV prevention, access to treatment, care and support services”.

The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare has come up with three key targets by 2015, which are to realise zero new infection, zero stigma and discrimination as well as zero HIV related deaths.

“Masvingo Province is unique as it boasts of rich cultural heritage among them the great Shangani tribe from which the country has borrowed the concept of MC.

“We hope that you will borrow a leaf from this safe practice and replicate it widely. We want to see more men opting to be circumcised,” said Governor Maluleke.
He said communities should be aware that male circumcision was an effective preventive method against HIV.

“Most importantly, we want communities to acknowledge that MC only works in conjunction with other prevention strategies such as condoms,” sad Governor Maluleke.
Research has shown that if high numbers of male infants are circumcised over the next 10 years, Zimbabwe could reduce the number of new infections by more than 80 percent by the year 2025.

“We therefore want to see more and more infants and children circumcised.

“I therefore call upon delegates here present to take the lead in mobilising men to undergo circumcision,” he said.