Circumcision Advocates Press To Make It A Priority In The African AIDS Battle

The International AIDS Conference will be held later this month in Washington DC and advocates of circumcision as an HIV preventive plan to pressure attendees to consider making the surgery a "priority" in the battle against AIDS in Africa. Via press release:

Voluntary medical male circumcision is one of the most effective HIV prevention tools available today. Countries where VMMC can have an impact should be acting to ensure access—and advocates should be demanding accountability,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC. “At this moment in the epidemic, there are few things that could do more to reduce the human and economic toll of HIV.When the AIDS community gathers this month in Washington, we need to refocus on this inexpensive, one-time intervention that offers men life-long partial protection against HIV.”

Research shows that VMMC could help significantly reduce heterosexual transmission of HIV in key African countries. Long-term follow-up from clinical trials conducted in Africa suggests that VMMC reduces a man’s risk of sexually acquiring HIV from an HIV-positive female partner by as much as 75 percent.Modeling research indicates that achieving 80 percent VMMC coverage among menages 15-49 in 13 key African countries by 2015 would avert up to 3.36 million newHIV infections by 2025. Meeting this target would also avert $16 billion in future direct AIDS prevention and treatment costs.