Bisho | Tuesday
AT least 52 initiates were receiving treatment for circumcision complications in hospitals in the Eastern Cape, hospital officials said on Monday.
At Hewu Hospital in Whittlesea, 20 young men were being treated, while Cecilia Makiwane Hospital (CMH) in Mdantsane was treating 17.
One of the boys was still in the intensive care unit at CMH on Monday, while the others there were reported to be in a stable condition.
Cofimvaba Hospital had seven initiates and four others were being treated at Frontier Hospital in Queenstown.
There are three initiates in the Stutterheim hospital and one in Cala Hospital.
One of the three initiates in the Stutterheim hospital would undergo a skin graft soon because his penis had been badly circumcised. The other two were reported to be in a stable condition.
Last week 10 initiates, who were in a ”terrible condition”, received treatment at the Mount Ayliff Hospital. It was not known how many of them were still in hospital.
Three initiates have died since the start of the summer circumcision season.
All three were from the East London area. They are: Mbongeni Willie (19) of Scenery Park in East London; Mncedisi Tshikila (17) who was pronounced dead on arrival when he was brought to CMH; and Nasetali Deki (16) who died at CMH.
Last week acting MEC for Health Max Mamase said charges would be brought if any boys below the age of 18 were found to have been circumcised. – Sapa