HIV Prevention

Dear Joseph,

Responding to your question about voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), I think you will find the following two websites very useful. The first is a 15-minute video with a related resource packet and discussion guide: http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/prevention/resources/vmmc

The second is a global resource center on male circumcision research, program implementation, documentation, and information: http://malecircumcision.org/

What you are calling female circumcision is a very different thing from VMMC and is *not* promoted--for many reasons--as an HIV prevention strategy. Here is some information from the World Health Organization about what you are calling female circumcision:

"Key facts

* Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
* The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
* Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later, potential childbirth complications and newborn deaths.
* An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of FGM.
* It is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15 years.
* In Africa an estimated 92 million girls from 10 years of age and above have undergone FGM.
* FGM is ...

Dear Joseph,

Responding to your question about voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), I think you will find the following two websites very useful. The first is a 15-minute video with a related resource packet and discussion guide: http://www.aidstar-one.com/focus_areas/prevention/resources/vmmc

The second is a global resource center on male circumcision research, program implementation, documentation, and information: http://malecircumcision.org/

What you are calling female circumcision is a very different thing from VMMC and is *not* promoted--for many reasons--as an HIV prevention strategy. Here is some information from the World Health Organization about what you are calling female circumcision:

"Key facts

* Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
* The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
* Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later, potential childbirth complications and newborn deaths.
* An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of FGM.
* It is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15 years.
* In Africa an estimated 92 million girls from 10 years of age and above have undergone FGM.
* FGM is internationally recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women."

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/

Hope this helps!

Best wishes,
Daniel

Dear Joseph,

I would think Daniel would have provided most of the required information.

I would just like to add that in India, majority being a Hindu population,
circumcision is generally unaccepted. Although the factor of circumcision is
well established in the prevention of HIV, i would think that community
un/acceptance is one of the most important factors in the healthcare
delivery policies to formulated by policy-makers.
So customising to local issues has to be there instead of a blanket
generalised cover (the old cliche- 'think global, act local' should be the
rule).

Nevertheless, it's good that you have no such problems in this regard and
can go all out in this strategy. But the female circumcision (although may
not be directly related to HIV), is certainly a human right violation of the
highest order and you have obviously to work hard at this aspect.

Keep up the good work.

Regards to all.