The campaign, which targets male students, is being piloted at the Cape Town Campus but will be rolled out to other campuses in due course. CPUT is the first university in the Western Cape to launch such a campaign.
With the primary objective of encouraging males to get circumcised, the campaign also aims to encourage males to lead a positive lifestyle that is governed by risk-free behavior and physical fitness, as well as a positive mental attitude.
Addressing yesterday’s launch at the Cape Town Campus, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Prins Nevhutalu encouraged the audience to talk frankly about sex and not treat it as a taboo subject.
Nevhutalu warned the audience that HIV is prevalent and that prevention is its only cure.
Male staff members from the HIV/Aids Unit and its partners also addressed the audience and emphasized the benefits of medical male circumcision. They all agreed that while circumcision reduced the risk of contracting HIV it is no substitute for condom use.
“Circumcision does not mean that you don’t need to use a condom,” said SRC President Mbongiseni Mbatha
Endorsed by the Global Fund Project, Higher Education HIV/AIDS Programme (HEAIDS) and the Department of Health, the campaign will achieve its goals through emphasizing the benefits of medical male circumcision as well as the various structures and NGOs that are educating the targeted audience at their exhibition stalls.
The campaign will also be launched between 10:00-14:00 at the following campuses:
- Wellington Campus, in the CP Van Der Merwe Hall on 18 August
- Bellville Campus in the Student Centre on 4 September
