Hundreds of men in the country who have gone under the knife following the spirited campaign for men to undergo circumcision are, surprisingly, not aware of what happens to their foreskins once the operation is through.

Those who spoke to NewsDay in a snap survey, admitted what happens to their foreskins once the job is done remains a mystery, indicating that there was need to educate members of the public about it.

A lot of bizarre things have been happening in the country, like the harvesting of semen from men “raped” by women at gunpoint. That has fed suspicion that foreskins may be used for ritual purposes.

“We never know what these people are up to. We have had cases where men were raped for semen and who knows, these people might want to do the same with our foreskins,” said Donald Bumhira.

Other people said the foreskins could be sold to Satanists or used for black magic. Mavis Gumbira said: “They sell them to people who eat them or use them for black magic.”

Matthew Runesu is of the idea that they are used for enlargement of sexual organs and in the production of pills that are used for the treatment of sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs).

“They use them for organ enlargement and making of STI pills. Maybe they are used for cosmetics,” he said.

Marshall Mawonedzo believed foreskins were likely being used in the manufacture of appetitos (pills that are used to enhance hips by women).

Weird ideas about where the foreskins were taken are expressed, but Population Service International Country director Kumbirai Chatura refused to comment and, instead, referred all questions to the Heath and Child Welfare ministry. She said: “We are just implementing partners and please contact the ministry.”

National Circumcision Co-ordinator in the Health and Child Welfare ministry, Sinokuthemba Xaba, said the foreskin was disposed of.

“The foreskins are disposed of in accordance with Human Tissues Act, which explains what happens to human body parts when they are detached from the main body. They are incinerated at very high temperatures,” said Xaba.

In some countries, particularly the United States, foreskin fibroblasts are used to grow and cultivate new cells that are then used for a variety of purposes. From the fibroblasts, new skin for burn victims can be grown. Skins to cover diabetic ulcers are grown and fibroblast is also used to make cosmetic creams and collagens.

Debate is growing over the ethics of using human foreskins for cosmetic purposes.

One such cosmetic company SkinMedica is raising a stir over use of the growth hormone left over from growing artificial skin from foreskin fibroblasts.

Dr Fitzpatrick, who invented SkinMedica, works with a supplier that uses foreskin fibroblast to make injectable collagen. The foreskins from which he extracts the growth hormone are used especially for cosmetics rather than for growing new skin for medical patients.

Fitzpatrick said using foreskins was simply a choice of convenience. “It doesn’t matter if you get a fibroblast from the eyelid, the cheek, the foot or the foreskin,” he was quoted saying.

“That cell is still a fibroblast; it does the same thing. Foreskins were used because that is a common surgery and the skin is thrown away, so why not use it for benefit? Twelve years ago when this was done, there would have been no objection to using foreskin tissue,” he added.

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