A big effort is under way to circumcise 80% of young men in Zimbabwe after a study four years ago found that the operation reduced the chance of contracting HIV by 60%.<\/p>\n
Yet the procedure is still not widely available across sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV prevalence is high, the International Aids Conference in Vienna was told today.<\/p>\n
In Zimbabwe, Population Services International (PSI) is working with the government to try to get mass circumcision underway, using a “conveyor belt” strategy that allows doctors and nurses to move rapidly from one patient to another, operating on 10 instead of three patients an hour. The goal is to circumcise at least 80% of all young men between 15 and 29 \u2013 a total of 1.2 million.<\/p>\n
HIV rates are high in Zimbabwe \u2013 at 13.7% of men under 49 \u2013 but only 10% of men are circumcised.<\/p>\n
“Zimbabwe is the country where male circumcision would have the highest impact,” said Dr Karin Hatzold, senior director of HIV services for PSI in Zimbabwe. “The number of male circumcisions needed to avert one new infection is only seven. It could avert 40% of all HIV infections.” …<\/p>\n