from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6730261.stm
Scientific studies have shown that circumcision can help to reduce HIV infection rates. Encouraged by these findings, some South African scientists have called for all infant boys to be circumcised.
Now, I don’t have anything in particular against circumcision, but this proposal seems downright ridiculous. What is the cause of most HIV infections? It’s unprotected sex with HIV carriers, not uncircumcised penes. (plural of penis = ?)
Why not take it a step further, and castrate all infant boys? Then they are even less likely to have unprotected sex when they grow up!
I think making the procedure compulsory, while reducing the chances of infection per sexual encounter, will instead create a false sense of security, and encourage people to take chances, which might in turn offset the benefits brought about by circumcision.
This will not stop the HIV epidemic, which is primarily due to unsafe sexual practices (eg having multiple sex partners, not using protection, ignorance of the risks). Circumcision is not a vaccination – it doesn’t prevent anyone from getting the virus!
The bottom line (pun unintended) is, AIDS is the result of having unprotected sex with HIV carriers, not uncircumcised penes!
note: upon re-reading my article I realised I meant to say “uncircumcised” when I typed “circumcised”. The edits are in bold.
There are mathematical models to support the belief that six million new HIV infections and three million deaths could be averted over the next twenty years if all men in sub-Saharan Africa became circumcised. What could possibly prevent action being taken in this regard?
http://allcircumcision.blogspot.com/2007/07/potential-impact-of-male-circumcision.html
In the light of 3 million possible deaths does your personal opinion about foreskins really matter?
About 80% of the half-million US men who have died of AIDS were circumcised at birth.
Pre-sexual African boys were found more likely to already have HIV if they had been circumcised.
AIDS is markedly more prevalent among the circumcised in Cameroon, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Circumcision is anything but an AIDS vaccine.
It costs the UN just 3 cents to give away a condom. A billion dollars per year (a fraction of what is presently spent fighting AIDS in Africa) could supply EVERY African man with 4 condoms per week.
Hello,
Thanks for your comments! Joshua, your points are noted. Circumcision does seem to have an effect on reducing infection rates (about 50-60% reduction in infection rates, according to sources quoted in Wikipedia). I just feel that circumcision will not solve the fundamental problem, that is, unsafe sexual practices, which accounts for the majority of HIV infection cases. Why not distribute condoms (the reduction in infection rates being 85%, according to the US National Institutes of Health)? Why not advocate safe sex? Why not discourage promiscuity? It’s human behavior and habits that we need to change.
Ron, interesting statistics! Could you provide a cite, maybe?