A project to circumcise 1.5 million South Sudanese men aged from 15 to 49 has been launched in the country in order to reduce the prevalence of HIV. Research has shown that circumcised men are at a much lower risk of contracting HIV than uncircumcised men when having heterosexual sex with someone who is HIV-positive. The NGO Human Appeal Associates, in partnership with the health ministry, will be looking for volunteers over the next five years. Circumcision is only practiced in three of the country’s 10 regional states, outside of those areas it is a taboo subject. The government has described the low circumcision rates as a major public health concern when it comes to dealing with HIV. “The demand for circumcision in the capital, Juba, alone is very, very high,” Robert Matthew Uku, from Human Appeal Associates, told the BBC. “Nearly 100 males – including 25 adults – were circumcised over the weekend.” About 2.3% of 15–49-year-olds in South Sudan are thought to be HIV-positive, UNAids says.
SOURCE: BBC
More Stories
The Latest Sign of Progress in Ethiopia’s Peace Deal
Traditional Gender Norms are the Main Barrier to Ghanaian Women Pursuing Academic Careers
Tanzania is a Beautiful and Peaceful Country, but there is a Dark Side
Nigerian Official and Wife Found Guilty for Organ-trafficking Plot
Uganda Bill Makes Provisions for the Arrest and Imprisonment of LGBTQ People
Sex in a Mogadishu City
Algerian Authorities Dismantle an International Network of Migrant Smugglers to Europe
Blinken’s Trip is the Latest in a Series of Visits to Africa by US Government Figures
Film Tells the Story of a Tragedy Perpetrated in Africa by German Colonial Troops
The Top Ten Most Ethnically Diverse Countries are all African Countries
South Africa Still a Long Way Off in Building a National Culture of Human Rights
After Lawsuits and Demonstrations Led by Chagossian Women, Britain Paid Some Compensation through the Mauritian Government to the Exiled Chagos Population