MORE than 583,000 have been circumcised as part of the voluntary medical male circumcision programme since its inception in 2008. The VMMC beneficiaries also received HIV prevention and counselling services in a drive organised by the National Aids/STI Control Programme. The programme, which started in 2008, targets is to have 600,000 voluntarily circum- cised by October.
"The response to the programme has been remarkable considering that it is concentrated in communi- ties that traditionally do not circumcise their men," said Dr. Athanasius Ochieng', VMMC national programme manager.
He said their goal is to give VMMC services to 860,000 males aged 15-49 in the first five years. This may see the first phase extended beyond 2013 to reach that goal .
Comments Post a comment
From a USAID report: "There appears no clear pattern of association between male circumcision and HIV prevalence—in 8 of 18 countries with data, HIV prevalence is lower among circumcised men, while in the remaining 10 countries it is higher." http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/CR22/CR22.pdf
It seems highly unrealistic to expect that there will be no risk compensation. The South African National Communication Survey on HIV/AIDS, 2009 found that 15% of adults across age groups "believe that circumcised men do not need to use condoms". http://www.info.gov.za/issues/hiv/survey_2009.htm
It is unclear if circumcised men are more likely to infect women. The only ever randomized controlled trial into male-to-female transmission showed a 54% higher rate in the group where the men had been circumcised: http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)60998-3/a bstract ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, and especially Condoms) is the way forward. Promoting genital surgery seems likely to cost African lives rather than save them.