Malawi rejects circumcision as HIV/AIDS preventative

[Papai]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...091601553.html

"We have no scientific evidence that circumcision is a sure way of slowing down the spread of AIDS," said Dr. Mary Shaba, a top HIV/AIDS official in Malawi.

Shaba said she had seen studies that showed a comparatively low rate of HIV/AIDS in countries where circumcision is encouraged or mandated. But she said she believed circumcision may not be the only reason for this.

Chairman of the National AIDS Commission and Anglican Bishop Emeritus Bernard Malango said studies in Malawi raised doubts about the effectiveness of circumcision in preventing HIV.

"If you go to areas where circumcision is practiced, you still find a good number of people that are HIV-positive," he said.

Dr. Shaba deserves a round of applause. She has been one of the few voices on the African continent standing in opposition to the massive circumcision campaign being pushed.

[ancoda]

[Ann-Marita]

Don't we have a real-life experiment in this going on already? I mean, the US has one of the highest rates of circ'ed adult males, and yet we also have one of the highest STD (including AIDS) rates of first-world countries.

I'm glad someone is standing up and speaking out!

[serendipity22]

An there are 6 or so countries in Africa where circumcised men are more likely to be HIV positive than intact men.

And there are millions of HIV positive people in Ethiopia where 99% of men are circumcised.