Kampala — THE health ministry has started the drafting the national Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) policy for HIV prevention.

The general director of health services, Dr. Sam Zaramba, said: "Assessment of the capacity of health units to implement the policy has been conducted."

Zaramba called upon the public to embrace circumcision to reduce HIV infections.

"The policy implementation will be part of the abstinence, be faithful and condom use strategy for HIV prevention. It will not be a stand-alone strategy," he added.

Zaramba was reacting to an article in the media, which said male circumcision had no benefits in the prevention of HIV infection.

The article also criticised the Rakai Health Sciences Programme for the improper communication of the research results.

The Health Sciences Programme was one of the research groups that conducted a clinical trial, which showed that circumcision reduced the risk of HIV by 60%. The trial was conducted between 2005 and 2007.

Medical male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV transmission from women to men. The foreskin of the penis is prone to small tears, which provide a route for the virus.

"The thickening of the penis skin after the removal of the foreskin provides relative barrier to HIV infection," Zaramba noted.