Studies: Circumcision could dramatically slow HIV spread in Africa

[MakeIt]

Here is the link and an interesting paragraph from the story:

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/heal...could_dramatically_slow_hiv_spread_in_africa/

"It does have the potential to prevent many tens of thousands, many hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of infections over coming years," said Dr. Kevin DeCock, chief of the AIDS branch at the World Health Organization. "But this is not just like taking a pill. It's more difficult than that in the reality of African health systems, and this also has huge cultural implications." DeCock said he expects health ministers from Africa to meet with global health officials early next year to translate the findings into policy. Already, other authorities said, extensive consultations have unfolded with health agencies in five African nations -- Kenya, Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zambia -- about the possibility of introducing circumcision programs.

Some people seem destined for certain jobs

makeit

 

[andreww770]

Here is the link and an interesting paragraph from the story:

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/heal...could_dramatically_slow_hiv_spread_in_africa/

"It does have the potential to prevent many tens of thousands, many hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of infections over coming years," said Dr. Kevin DeCock, chief of the AIDS branch at the World Health Organization. "But this is not just like taking a pill. It's more difficult than that in the reality of African health systems, and this also has huge cultural implications." DeCock said he expects health ministers from Africa to meet with global health officials early next year to translate the findings into policy. Already, other authorities said, extensive consultations have unfolded with health agencies in five African nations -- Kenya, Lesotho, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zambia -- about the possibility of introducing circumcision programs.

Some people seem destined for certain jobs

makeit

DeCock...funny.
Subject, I don't know if that makes any practical sense...

 

[MakeIt]

Men, if I were a moyel I think would be making the big bucks in Africa.

I'm still not sure how exatly circumcision prvents HIV transmission. I guess the prepuse may be subject to micro tears on the skin. it's the only reasonable explanation for such a find.

There is a reason which I've quoted from the article and that I saw similar explanations in other artilcles:

"For more than a decade, African physicians had observed that circumcised men seemed less susceptible to HIV. There are biological explanations for that: The skin of the penis of circumcised men is thicker and less prone to penetration by HIV. Conversely, cells in the foreskin of uncircumcised men are especially welcoming to the virus."

You would thinks other viral STDs would have similar effects on cicumcized men.

 

[asimplepicture]

>Already, other authorities said, extensive consultations have unfolded with health agencies in five African nations.<

Quite a play on words.

I think a well run, well managed educational program if possible, could be more beneficial initially. As long as the US stays out of it, there may exist a chance for success.

I do not know if any religious or sectarian law would either prohibit a circumcision or cause greater harm. I remember reading instances where inoculation programs were instituted for children specific to TB and such. After the procedure was performed on the children and the teams left the villages,…. the elder’s lopped off their arms. One could only imagine.

I think education based on abstinence may be a good place to start.

Perhaps while they are at it. Someone could figure out a way to save the Gorilla. Seems the Ebola virus has devastated the population to levels of near extinction.