ZAMBIA: Cut men think they don't need condoms

October 19, 2014

Young men are getting circumcised for wrong reasons - Danny

by Abigail Sitenge
Danny Siulapwa, also known as Danny Kaya, says young men are rushing to get circumcised for wrong reasons.

Danny, a father of three, observed that most men think they cannot contract HIV once they get circumcised.

“I’m an open person hence I talk to many young people who tell me they don’t need to use condoms during sexual intercourse because they are circumcised. But that’s very wrong. I think there is need to sensentise people more on this issue,” he says.

Danny wonders what type of message is being put across regarding circumcision. He urges young men to avoid practicing unprotected sex regardless of whether they are circumcised or not.

A few years ago, Danny who is deemed a controversial artiste in Zambia, released a hit song called Live which advocates the use of condoms.

He says because of such perceptions, the number of people being infected with the virus has kept on rising.

He has since called on people spearheading male circumcision campaigns to emphasise the fact that the practice did not obliterate the chances of contracting HIV but merely reduced them.

“Personally I’m not liking the way the anti-HIV campaigns are being done, suddenly there is this hype of male circumcision. It is a good practice but what is ringing in most young people’s minds is that once they are circumcised, they cannot contract HIV,” he says. ...