MO DEWJI BLOG YAWANASA LIVE WAFANYAKAZI WA TAMBAZA WAKIOMBA RUSHWA

Agizo la serikali kuzuia usafiri wa bodaboda mjini umegeuka kuwa kitega uchumi kwa baadhi ya vijana walioajiriwa kuhakikisha agizo inatekelezwa.

Hii imethibitika baada ya mwandishi wa Mo Dewji Blog kufumania tukio la vijana wa jiji wakidai rushwa wazi wazi bila woga kwa mwendesha pikipiki wa magurudumu watatu maarufu kama bajaji.

Kachero wetu (jina limehifadhiwa) alifanikiwa kupata picha za wala rushwa pamoja na kunasa sauti za tukio lote.

Baadhi ya wafanyakazi wa Tambaza wakiwa pembezoni ya barabara katika daraja la Salenda.

Mmoja wa mfanyakazi wa Tambaza akisimamisha bajaji.

Wafanyakazi wa Tambaza wakizungumza na dereva wa bajaji na kumuomba rushwa ya shilingi 10,000

Wafanyakazi wa Tambaza (walio na mashati ya rangi nyeupe) wakizungumza na dereva wa bajaji

Sikiliza sauti iliyorekodiwa wakati wa tukio na mwandishi wa Mo Dewji Blog

Tigo yawapa wateja wake huduma ya WhatsApp bure

Meneja Mkuu wa Kampuni ya Simu ya Tigo, Diego Gutierrez akizungumza na waandishi wa habari na wageni waalikwa mbalimbali wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma hiyo uliofanyika jana Hoteli ya Hyatt Regency jijini Dar es Salaam 

Wafanyakazi wa Tigo na wanahabari kutoka vyombo mbalimbali wakifurahia jambo wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency Jijini Dar es salaam

Hapa kila mgeni mualikwa akiwa busy na simu yake kwenye uzinduzi huo.

Ni kama wanasema 'tumependeza sana ngoja tujipige picha' wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency Jijini Dar es salaam

Wageni waaalikwa wakiwa katika maski za " Emojis " wakifurahia jambo kwenye uzinduzi huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency Jijini Dar es salaam

Hapa ni furaha tupu kwa wanahabari.

Washereheshaji katika uzinduzi huo,Mc Taji Liundi na Mc Abby wakitoa maelezo jinsi gani wateja wa Tigo watakavyofurahia huduma ya whatsapp bure 

Burudani ikiendelea kutoka kwa wasanii wa kikundi maalum cha maonesho ya jukwaa wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency Jijini Dar es salaam.

Meneja Mkuu wa Kampuni ya Simu ya Tigo, Diego Gutierrez (katikati), akiwa na viongozi wenzake kutoka tigo katika maski za "Emojis " wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency Jijini Dar es salaam

Meneja Mkuu wa Kampuni ya Simu ya Tigo, Diego Gutierrez (katikati), akiwa katika picha ya pamoja na washereheshaji MC Taji Liundi na MC Abby wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency Jijini Dar es salaam

Ofisa Mkuu wa Biashara wa Tigo, Shavkat Berdiev (kushoto ) Meneja wa gharama wa Tigo Jakhangic Tulaganov na Meneja masoko Olivier prentout wakifurahia jambo wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency 

Bloggers wakiwa katika picha ya pamoja na msanii Lucas Muhuvile 'Joti' wakati wa uzinduzi wa huduma ya whatsapp bure kwa wateja wa tigo iliyofanyika jana katika hotel ya Hyatt Regency

Dar es Salaam, Februari 2, 2016- Kampuni ya Tigo Tanzania ambayo inaongoza kwa mtindo wa maisha ya kidijitali imetangaza huduma ya bure ya WhatsApp kwa watumiaji wa huduma hiyo ikiwa ni mara ya kwanza kwa kampuni ya simu kutoa ofa ya bure ya mtandao huo wa jamii nchini.

Akitangaza upatikanaji bure wa huduma hiyo kwa vyombo vya habarijijini Dar es Salaam, Meneja Mkuu wa Tigo Diego Gutierrez amesema kuwa wateja wote wa Tigo wanaotumia vifurushi vya intaneti vya kampuni hiyo kwa wiki na mwezi watapata huduma ya WhatsApp bure. Tigo ina wateja zaidi ya milioni 10.

Huduma ya WhatsApp ambayo ni maarufu kwenye kutuma ujumbe kwa njia ya simu, ina watumiaji zaidi ya milioni nane nchini Tanzania na duniani inatumiwa na watu wapatao milioni 900.

WhatsApp inawezesha watumiaji kubadilishana habari, ujumbe, video na miito ya sauti.

“Kuanzia sasa na kuendelea wateja wote wa Tigo wanaonunua vifurushi vyetu vya wiki au mwezi watakuwa na fursa ya kufurahia WhatsApp BURE.

Hili linawezekana kama mteja ana smartphone. Huduma ya bure ya WhatsApp kwa wateja wetu inaonesha jinsi tulivyojikita katika kuboresha mabadiliko kwenye maisha ya kidijitali na hivyo kuongoza kwenye kutoa teknolojia ya hali ya juu pamoja na ubunifu”, alisema Gutierrez.

Kwa Mujibu wa Gutierrez, ili kufurahia huduma hii, jambo analohitaji mteja wa Tigo ni kuwa na kifurushi cha intaneti cha wiki au mwezi ambacho anaweza kukipata kupitia *148*00# à Tigo-Tigo Xtreme/MiniKabangà Wiki au Mwezi + WHATSAPP YA BURE. Huduma hii inapatikana kwa wanaomiliki simu za aina ya Blackberry, Android na Nokia Symbian60. 

WhatsApp ni huduma dada na huduma huduma Facebook ambayo

iliingia makubaliano na Tigo mwaka 2014 na kuwapa fursa wateja wa Tigo huduma ya Facebook bure na kwa lugha ya Kiswahili kupitia simu zao.

WAZIRI UMMY AWAGEUKIA VIONGOZI NA KAZI YA KUPAMBANA NA KIPINDUPINDU

Viongozi wote kuanzia ngazi ya vijiji hadi mkoa wametakiwa kushiriki kikamilifu katika kutokomeza ugonjwa wa kipindupindu hadi kufikia Machi, 30 mwaka huu.

Waziri wa Afya, Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia, Wazee na Watoto, Mh. Ummy Mwalimu akiongea na kikosi kazi cha udhibiti wa ugonjwa wa kipindupindu, kulia nina Kaimu Mganga Mkuu wa mkoa wa Dodoma, Dkt.Nassoro Mzee.

Wito huo umetolewa leo na Waziri wa Afya, Maendeleo ya Jamii, Jinsia, Wazee na Watoto, Mhe. Ummy Mwalimu wakati alipokutana na kikosi kazi cha cha udhibiti wa kipindupindu mkoani Dodoma

"Kipindupindu siyo suala ya afya peke yake, bali ni suala mtambuka hivyo sekta zote zinapaswa kujumuika katika kupambana na kutokomezwa ugonjwa huu.

Ummy alisema kipindupindu bado ni changamoto na janga hivyo kila mkoa unatakiwa kuliwekea kipaumbele kwakuwa ugonjwa huo unaua kwa haraka hivyo viongozi wote washiriki kikamilifu na si kuwaachia waganga wakuu wa mikoa au wilaya.

Aidha alisema licha ya kuwa na sheria ndogo za kila halmashauri za kusimamia usafi na mazingira lakini katika kudhibiti kuenea kwa kipindupindu lazima litakuja suala la kufungia biashara hususani za mbogamboga, matunda pamoja na chakula.

"Suala la kukusanya mapato lipo na litaendelea kuwepo lakini suala la kipindupindu linapoteza maisha,maisha hayatafutwi lakini pesa zinatafutwa lakini ukikosea utapoteza maisha ya watu wengi,” alisema Waziri Mwalimu.

Kaimu mganga mkuu mkoa wa Dodoma Dkt.Nassoro Mzee akisoma taarifa ya hali ya kipindupindu ya mkoa.

Ummy alisema tangu kipindupindu kiingie nchini Agosti mwaka jana, halmashauri zimetumia pesa nyingi katika kutokomeza ugonjwa huo, lakini wangeweza kuzuia mapema, pesa hizo zingeenda kutatua tatizo la madawati katika shule za msingi nchini.

"Mnapoona hamjaridhika na uendeshaji wa migahawa, msisite kuzifungia mara moja, mapato mtakusanya haraka kwa kuwa na nguvu za pamoja baada ya kutokomeza ugonjwa na kuweza kuingiza mapato mengi na kwa haraka tofauti na kuwa na hilo tatizo,” alieleza.

Hata hivyo alivitaka vikosi vyote vya mikoa nchi, kuwashirikisha wadau wote wakiwemo viongozi wa dini zote kuweza kuelimisha kuweza kutoa elimu ya jinsi gani ya kujikinga na ugonjwa wa kipindupindu kwa waumini wao.

Mkoa wa Dodoma umetumia takribani Shilingi Milioni 124 toka kipindupindu kimeingia mkoani humo na hadi leo kuna wagonjwa wanne katika kambi ya kipindupindu wilaya ya Bahi, jumla ya wagonjwa 450 waliugua na vifo12, wilaya zilizoathirika ni Bahi, Dodoma mjini na Chamwino.

Baadhi ya kikosi hicho toka idara na wadau mbalimbali wakimsikiliza Waziri huyo.

Mtaalamu toka Wizarani Dkt. Vida Makundi (wa kwanza kushoto) akifafanua jambo kwenye kambi hiyo.

Kaimu Mganga Mkuu wilaya ya Bahi, Dkt. Gerald Maro akielezea jambo, kikosi kazi toka Wizara ya Afya na wale wa mkoa (hawapo pichani) mara baada ya kufika kwenye kambi ya kipindupindu iliyopo kwenye zahanati ya Isangha iliyopo wilayani Bahi.

Mwenyekiti wa kijiji cha Isangha,Andrea Lusinde(katikati) akielezea jinsi kijiji hicho kilivyoweza kuelimisha jamii jinsi ya kujikinga na kipindupindu pamoja na ujenzi wa vyoo na kuvitumia, jumla ya vyoo zaidi ya 300 vimejengwa katika kaya,Kulia ni diwani wa kata ya Chibelela, Chalula Gerald

CFAO MOTORS YAFANYA ONYESHO LA BIASHARA YA MAGARI AINA YA SUZUKI

Kampuni ya uuzaji magari ya CFAO imefanya onyesho la kuonyesha bidhaa mpya walizonazo katika jengo la PSPF Golden Jubilee Tower lililopo Posta jijini Dar es Salaam.

Akizungumza na Modewji Blog, Meneja Masoko wa CFAO Motors, Sheikha Said amesema sababu ya kampuni hiyo kufanya onyesho katika jengo hilo ni kuwaonyesha wateja wa kampuni hiyo bidhaa mpya walizonazo katika sehemu zao wanazouzia magari (showroom).

Amebainisha kuwa, mbali na kuwaonyesha wateja lakini pia kuwaonyesha wafanyakazi na wananchi mbalimbali ambao walikuwa hawajui bidhaa zinazopatikana CFAO Motors au kwa wengine kuwa na shughuli nyingi hivyo kushindwa kufika katika 'showroom' zao na kupitia onyesho hilo wataweza kupata magari katika maeneo yao ya kazi.

“Tupo hapa kwa hili kuwasogezea huduma watu wa aina mbalimbali na wafanyakazi wa taasisi mbalimbali waone bidhaa tulizonazo,” alisema Bi. Said.

Nae Afisa Mauzo wa Suzuki, David Kritsos alisema kupitia onyesho hilo wananchi na wafanyakazi wa ofisi mbalimbali wanaweza kununua magari wanayopendelea na wanaweza kusaidiwa na CFAO Motors kupata mkopo benki ili waweze kupata fedha za kununua magari hayo na kulipa mkopo taratibu.

Alisema CFAO ndiyo kampuni pekee nchini yenye nafasi ya kusambaza bidhaa za Suzuki na magari yote wanayoyauza bado ni mapya yakiwa bado hayajatumika kabisa.

Showroom hiyo itaendelea hadi hapo 4 Februari. 

Moja ya Suzuki Grand Vitara magari ya CFAO yaliyopo kwenye maonyesho ya bidhaa mpya walizonazo katika jengo la PSPF Golden Jubilee Tower lililopo Posta jijini Dar es Salaam.

Gari hilo la Suzuki Vitara linavyoonekana kwa nyuma.

Gari hilo aina ya Suzuki Grand Vitara linavyoonekana ubavuni.

Moja ya Suzuki magari ya CFAO yaliyopo kwenye maonyesho ya bidhaa mpya walizonazo katika jengo la PSPF Golden Jubilee Tower lililopo Posta jijini Dar es Salaam.

Gari hilo la aina ya Suzuki linavyoonekana ubavuni..

Suzuki hiyo inavyookena upande wa nyuma.

Gari ndogo Suzuki OMNI inavyookena kwa mbele.

upande wa ndani unaogawa gari hilo la Suzuki ambao unaonesha upande wa dereva na upande ambao mtu anaweza kutumia kwa kuweka mizigo na mambo mengine.

upande wa nyuma wa ndaniu wa gari hilo aina Suzuki OMNI.

Magari hayo yanavyoonekana katika showroom hiyo ndani ya jengo la PSPF Golden Jubilee Towers.

Zika Virus and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know Now

Zika virus appears to be especially dangerous for pregnant women and their babies – and now experts say it’s likely to hit the U.S. What you need to know to protect yourself.

Getty Images

News of the Zika virus is frightening. Indeed, there are many uncertainties about the Zika virus during pregnancy, and the information is changing rapidly. But one of the most important things that you need to know as an expecting mom is if you live in the continental U.S., your odds of contracting the Zika virus right now are extremeley low. Here's what is known now about Zika, and what you can do to protect yourself and your baby.

WHAT IS ZIKA VIRUS?

The Zika virus is a usually mild disease that's transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people fully recover from Zika virus without severe complications, and severe illness or deaths from Zika virus are extremely rare, says the CDC. But Zika virus can be dangerous for pregnant women and their babies. Experts are also investigating Zika's link to Guillain-Barrésyndrome, a rare immune disease that most people recover from but can occasionally cause paralysis.

WHY THE SPECIAL WARNING FOR PREGNANT WOMEN?

When a mom-to-be becomes infected with Zika virus, the virus can also infect the fetus. In countries affected by Zika outbreaks, there has also been an increase in cases of microcephaly. That link is why health experts believe Zika infection during pregnancy may lead to this rare birth defect. Microcephaly is a neurological condition that causes babies to be born with small heads and severe developmental issues, and in rare instances it can result in death. The highest risk to the fetus is believed to be when the mother is infected during the first trimester.

The CDC cautions that more research is needed to better understand the link between the Zika virus and microcephaly. The exact outcomes that might be associated with infection during pregnancy and the factors that may increase risk to a fetus are not yet fully understood.

READ ALSO: World Health Organization Declares Zika a Global Health Emergency

WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?

Common symptoms of Zika virus include fever, rash, headaches, red eyes, muscle and joint pain and pain behind the eyes. Only one in five people infected with the virus end up exhibiting symptoms. And the symptoms, which are mild to begin with, often don’t show up right away. In other words, if you traveled to an area with Zika virus, you might not become sick until after you return home.

IS ZIKA CONTAGIOUS?

No, the Zika virus is not contagious from person to person. Because it's not airborne or transmitted via physical contact, there's no risk of becoming infected with the virus from simply standing near an infected person. There has been one confirmed case of Zika spread through sexual transmission.

However because few people have immune defenses against the virus, it is spreading rapidly as more mosquitoes that carry the virus continue to bite people.

There are two reasons for the virus’ rapid spread. First, most people in South, Central and North America have not previously been exposed to Zika and therefore lack immunity. Any new virus can spread quickly in a population with no immunity. Second, Aedes mosquitoes — the main source for Zika transmission — are present in all the region's countries except Canada and Chile. The more infected people there are (because of low immunity), the more likely it is that a mosquito that is able to carry the infection (the Aedes variety) will bite one of those infected people and then bite someone else, spreading the virus.

WHERE HAS ZIKA BEEN FOUND?

Zika virus was first identified in Africa and Asia in 1947. There were very few documented cases of it, and it was considered a rare disease until 2007, when there was an outbreak in Micronesia. Then, in May 2015, the virus began to spread rapidly in Brazil and throughout the rest of South America; the World Health Organization now says as many as 4 million people could be infected in the next year in the Americas.

At the same time, cases of microcephaly in Brazil increased: Between October 2015 and January 2016 alone, more than 4,180 cases of microcephaly were reported, according to Brazilian health authorities. In previous years, a total of only about 150 cases of microcephaly were reported in Brazil every year. Of the 1,113 cases that have been cross-checked to-date with Zika in Brazil, 404 have been confirmed linked to the virus. This possible link led the Brazilian Ministry of Health in November 2015 to warn women living in Brazil against getting pregnant.

As of February 3, 2016, the CDC has issued Zika-related travel warnings after finding cases of infection in the following countries:

American Samoa

Barbados

Bolivia

Brazil

Cape Verde

Colombia

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, US territory

Costa Rica

Curacao

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

French Guiana

Guadeloupe

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Jamaica

Martinique

Mexico

Nicaragua

Panama

Paraguay

Saint Martin

Samoa

Suriname

Tonga

U.S. Virgin Islands

Venezuela

Because of the prevalence of the mosquito-borne virus in these countries, the CDC advises that American women who are expecting (as well as those hoping to become pregnant) not travel to those countries.

HAS ZIKA BEEN FOUND IN THE U.S.?

While cases of Zika have been reported in the United States, as of January 2016 these are limited to people who recently traveled to countries with Zika transmission. But experts worry that if an infected person (let’s say someone who has traveled to that infectious region and then comes back to the U.S.) is bitten by another mosquito here, that mosquito — which is now carrying the virus — can infect someone else.

However experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipate that the Zika virus will spread to all but two countries in South, Central and North America, Canada and Chile. That’s because the Aedes mosquitoes, which transmit the virus through their bites, are found in all countries in the Americas, including the United States, except Canada and Chile. 

Still, Zika is unlikely to spread far outside tropical zones, say experts, even within the United States. And these southern U.S. regions will probably not see an outbreak until later in the spring and summer, when mosquitoes are more active. Even if that does happen, experts believe the spread of the virus will likely be more contained than it has been in South and Central America, because most people have window screens and air conditioning — two important ways to help prevent the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.

WHAT ARE THE CDC-ISSUED TRAVEL GUIDELINES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN?

Because of the serious nature of the virus’s potential to impact an unborn baby, the CDC recommends using an "abundance of caution." According to the CDC, expectant moms in any trimester or women hoping to become pregnant should consider postponing travel to the areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing (see the list above).

Pregnant women and those trying to become pregnant who do travel to one of these areas should talk to their prenatal practitioner before going on their trip. Most importantly, these women should strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip (see below).

WHAT IF I’VE BEEN TO OR LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE THERE’S AN OUTBREAK?

The CDC recommends all pregnant women who've lived in or traveled to a country with Zika see their doctors. The CDC hasissued additional guidelines in consultation with the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommending that pregnant women who have already traveled to affected areas be screened for the virus.

Concerned because you traveled to one of these places and have since conceived? The CDC says the virus usually remains in the blood of an infected person for only a few days to a week, so it’s a potential worry for only that short period of time. Zika virus will not cause infections in a baby that is conceived after the virus is cleared from the blood, happily, so an infection now doesn’t pose a risk of birth defects for future pregnancies.

WHAT TESTS & TREATMENTS ARE THERE IF I THINK I’VE BEEN EXPOSED TO ZIKA?

If you are expecting and have traveled or live in an affected country, see your doctor whether or not you’ve experienced any common symptoms of the virus (see above).

If you've had two or more Zika-like symptoms:

You will receive a blood test. (Note that your doctor might also test for dengue fever and chikungunya virus because they have similar symptoms to Zika and are found in the same regions.)

If you test positive for Zika (or the test is inconclusive): You will receive an ultrasound to see if there are any signs of microcephaly or unusual calcium deposits within the skull, called intracranial calcification. You can also have anamniocentesis to detect if baby has Zika virus.

If the Zika test is negative: You will receive an ultrasound to look for signs of microcephaly or intracranial calcifications. If either shows up, experts recommend an amniocentesis to test baby for Zika virus. If neither is present, then you don't need any more testing.

If you don't have Zika-like symptoms:

You will not receive a blood test for Zika virus. Only the CDC facility in Atlanta and a handful of state hospitals are equipped to handle the test, CNN reports. Plus the test can yield false positives or inconclusive results.

You will, however, receive an ultrasound to look for signs of microcephaly or intracranial calcifications.

If there are signs of either: Your blood will be tested for Zika and you should consider an amniocentesis to test baby for Zika.

If no signs are apparent: Your doctor should give you regular follow-up ultrasounds every three to four weeks for the rest of your pregnancy to continue checking for both conditions. If signs of either develops, you will receive a blood test and potentially an amniocentesis.

For more info on testing, see the CDC flow chart.

IS THERE A VACCINE FOR ZIKA VIRUS?

There is no vaccine against the Zika virus, and there is no treatment for Zika virus. The CDC does not recommend antiviral medications for those infected with the illness, mostly because the symptoms are usually mild. But because it can be so dangerous for a developing fetus, efforts to make a vaccine against Zika virus have begun. Still, because creating and testing a vaccine normally takes years and costs hundreds of millions of dollars, experts don’t expect a vaccine in the immediate future.

The good news is that experts suspect that Zika infection may trigger lifelong immunity to the virus, which means that people who have been infected could not be reinfected.

HOW CAN I PREVENT ZIKA VIRUS & MOSQUITO BITES DURING PREGNANCY?

Because there is no vaccine against Zika virus, and no medications to take to protect the fetus if you are bitten by a mosquito carrying the Zika virus, the best approach is prevention. A babymoon to Puerto Rico might not be worth the risk right now, and the same goes for a visit to family in Mexico that could be put off.

But if your plans are unbreakable or you currently live in one of the affected areas, you’ll need to take extra steps to avoid mosquito bites during pregnancy. That includes wearing long sleeves, pants and socks (permethrin-treated if possible); staying inside during peak mosquito hours; using air conditioning inside; and applying mosquito repellent (which is not only safe to use during pregnancy, it's recommended). Use according to the label's directions on all exposed skin.

Circumcision

Question: "I'm confused about whether to have my baby boy circumcised. Isn't this routine? What should I do?"

Before you became pregnant, you probably never imagined you'd spend so much time pondering medical procedures on baby boy parts. You may not have even realized that the decision whether or not to keep your child’s foreskin intact was yours to make. But now you've got a son on the way, and — if you don’t have religious or cultural traditions guiding you (or a husband who insists that his son look just like him) — you’ve got what may be a very confusing decision ahead of you.

Circumcision may be considered the oldest surgical procedure still performed, with roots dating back thousands of years. It started out as a religious ritual among Jews and later Muslims, as a sign of their covenant with God. In the late nineteenth century, circumcision became common practice in the United States. 

The thought at the time was that a circumcised penis would be less sensitive, therefore reducing masturbation — which, not surprisingly, didn't happen. Over the past century, circumcision has been touted as the panacea for syphilis, lunacy, and tuberculosis — all theories that have (thankfully) been debunked. 

Though it’s still performed for religious reasons and because many parents simply "feel it should be done," more and more are deciding against circumcision. Currently, slightly more than half of all boys in the US are circumcised — down from 80 percent in 1980. And in more recent years, rates have further declined — from 58.4 percent in 2001 to 54.7 percent in 2010.

What does the procedure entail? In a circumcision, the foreskin (or prepuce) — a double-layered sleeve of skin and mucosal tissue that covers the head (glans) of the penis — is surgically removed.

Those in favor of circumcision point to the medical benefits: a decreased chance of infection of the penis (although thorough washing under the foreskin, once it becomes retractable around the second birthday, works just as well); a moderately reduced risk of urinary tract infections during the first year of life (although the risk that an uncircumcised baby will get a UTI is quite low — 1 percent or less); a slightly reduced risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS; and a slightly reduced risk of penile cancer (although the disease is very rare in all men). Others opt for the procedure simply because they think the circumcised penis looks more attractive and is easier to keep clean.

Those opposed to routine newborn circumcision say that there is no medical necessity for the procedure. Though complications from circumcision are extremely rare, there are concerns about bleeding and infection. Plus, if Dad is uncircumcised, he might have an equally strong feeling about wanting junior to also have his foreskin intact.

What’s the official word? The American Academy of Pediatrics states that the health benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks. Parents (or parents-to-be), they recommend, who choose to circumcise their baby boys should be able to do so.

The upshot is that whatever you decide is entirely up to you and your partner. So talk about it together and then again with both your practitioner and your potential pediatrician so you can determine which route is best for you and your son. If you do opt for circumcision, make sure you find a qualified expert to do the procedure — and insist on topical analgesia (painkillers) such as EMLA cream for your baby. (Although baby folklore — and, until recently, many doctors — used to hold that newborns felt no pain while being cut, researchers now know that's just not so.) And be sure to follow the recommendations for newborn circumcision care — it should heal in a week to 10 days.

Good luck,

MAGAZETI YA LEO ALHAMISI

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