Male circumcision, HIV, and Swaziland - An update

We talk about circumcision a lot around here, especially these days.

Foreskin removal is nothing new for pediatricians, but it certainly is for the adult males here in Swaziland that have recently undergone the procedure.

As I mentioned in a previous entry last December--"The new skinny on circumcision"--it has recently come to light that a sensitive, careful snip can reduce the risk of contracting the virus, and more recent evidence suggests that this tender cut can cut one's risk by as much as six times.

To learn more, please see the two links below for an article by Fran Blandy of the AFP regarding circumcision efforts here in Swaziland, and a BBC news summary of a recent Lancet article on the procedure's proven efficacy.

It remains to be seen what Swaziland's health authorities will do with this new information...besides talk.

For now, adult circumcision in Swaziland remains in its infancy.

Links:
AIDS-ravaged Swaziland gears up for circumcision fever

Aids risk 'cut by circumcision'