[ARCHIVED] HIV Prevention

Dear Discussion Moderator
GHD

In respond to Mr. Richard musaazi's question  why many countries do not consider Circumcision as a tool  for HIV prevention ?

I could only answer: some people consider circumcision being Islamized and not a way of HIV prevention. They consider this religiuos based practices or cultural based exercise.

All what we need is to get ready for  new challenges and learn from others experiences in order to improve the lives of the people world wide.

Thank you,

Kagiri Sulaiman
Chairman / Founder
KCDP youth project
PO box 34727
Kampala
Uganda
Tel:+256-775 340 492

I agree with Sulaiman Kagiri--islam and also the Jewish religion are linked to circumcision. In addition, the cost of circumcision, the surgical procedure itself, it's physical and psychological effects (in some communities circumcision is believed to cause loss of male sexual potency) etc. are all contributing factors I believe in the disinterest that exists toward circumcision. Perhaps a well planned and executed behavior change intervention package specifically for circumcision may be useful. Would be interested in the perspectives of those who may have tried this strategy.

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 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".

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.

FYIi -

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2010/07/19/four-major-misconceptions-ab...

Sent from my Windows Mobile phone

Daniel Halperin, PhD
Harvard School of Public Health