Medical professionals, civil society groups and Nandi Council of Elders (Kaburwo) are pushing for safe male circumcision.
Nandi county director of medical services David Bungei and officials from the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council said policies must be put in place to ensure only professionals handle the initiation process.
“We have had instances where our children go through initiations in the hands of quacks. We need to have community doctors on board to handle critical issues to protect our young men,” he said.
Bungei said the community needs to mentor young men so they become productive in their communities.
Director and ambassador of the Boy Child Campaign Kimutai Choge said the main aim of the meeting was to discuss the health of boys before, during and after circumcision.
“I want to salute the efforts of Kaburwo elders for bringing up culturally mannered and upright men,” he said in Kapsabet.
Participant Ezekiel Lelei said, “We came here to harmonise and strategise, bring the boy child and the father together. We teach them the responsibility of a young man.”
Kaburwo elders chairman Benjamin Kitur called for concerted efforts to ensure health standards are adhered to during the initiation process to prevent deaths.
He said those tasked to take care of the initiates should ensure the environment the rite is conducted is conducive and secure.
“In the past, we have lost a number of our boys during the initiation. This time let us be careful and ensure the rite of passage is safe for our boys," Kitur said.
"The camps should be clean and those taking care of them should observe a high standard of hygiene.”
