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Rwanda: Circumcision Should Be Embraced As an Extra Measure Against HIV
The New Times (Kigali), 10 January 2010
A massive male circumcision campaign is set to begin soon, according to information from the National Aids Control Commission (CNLS).
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This makes no sense whatsoever.
3.5% of circumcised men in Rwanda have HIV. 2.1% of intact men in Rwanda have HIV.
So why would circumcising Rwandan men help reduce HIV?
Circumcision is a dangerous distraction in the fight against AIDS. There are six African countries where men are more likely to be HIV+ if they've been circumcised: Cameroon, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, and Swaziland. Eg in Malawi, the HIV rate is 13.2% among circumcised men, but only 9.5% among intact men. In Rwanda, the HIV rate is 3.5% among circumcised men, but only 2.1% among intact men. If circumcision really worked against AIDS, this just wouldn't happen. We now have people calling circumcision a "vaccine" or "invisible condom", and viewing circumcision as an alternative to condoms.
The one randomized controlled trial into male-to-female transmission showed a 54% higher rate in the group where the men had been circumcised btw.
ABC (Abstinence, Being faithful, Condoms) is the way forward. Promoting genital surgery will cost African lives, not save them.