A latest news event from the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6502855.stm
"The World Health Organization and UNAIDS said circumcision should be added to current interventions to reduce the spread of HIV...WHO and UNAIDS said access to the procedure should be urgently scaled up in areas with high rates of heterosexual infection and low rates of male circumcision."
There are a few issues I have with this:
First, just as there are social/cultural qualms about using condoms, I imagine there would be similar, if not stronger cultural issues with the recommendation of circumcision to certain African populations. Although this seems like a reasonable preventive strategy, I wonder if anyone consulted with community stakeholders to discuss the feasibility of implementing this plan. I can imagine nurses and other skilled health workers in birthing centers trying to coerce mothers to circumcise their baby boys.
Second, does this recommendation from the WHO come with a plan action? Will they involve the community?
Three years ago...
the view of Mt. Baldy after a wonderful storm...have we seen snow like this in CA since then? Climate change? Oh yes...
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5 comments:
You raise important points about this new "objective". I also wonder if circumcision will reduce transmission that much? I feel there may be better alternative solutions that we should be exploring.
It's really interesting to me, this phenomenom. I wonder if people that are not circumcized are less likely to properly use condoms for example. This was actually very interesting to me because as far as many parts of West Africa is concerned, boys are circumcized as babies. I guess it's different in East Africa. Additionally, I wonder which scientist decided that this could be a contributing factor? I certainly agree with you that W.H.O. has probably not explored all it can in order to ensure the success of their campaign. Same thing happened with the eradication of female circumcision.
Will people think that becouse they are circumsice they are inmune to HIV? If this is the case, maybe the harm will be grater than the solution.
Also, for my expereince as a mother it is very difficult to mutilate your baby and particulary if you do not have a certanty about the reason you are doing this.
I circuncise my baby for religous reasons and its one of this thins you try not to thing too much. Was very very hard.
I thought it was interesting that the WHO recommended this. I think it is also a bit alarming because, just as marina said, many may think circumcision as a means preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS like a condom would, but thats absolutely not the case. Moreover, as you said, it definitely may inflict some cultural faux pas. I know the WHO wants to help bring down the spread of HIV/AIDS, but I personally think that this is the wrong message to be promoting.
Yes condoms is key lol. They can circumcise every male in Africa and their diseases won't go away. Again it really comes down to educating these people about their sexual habits and teaching them about consequences of not being responsible. Circumcision will do little.
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