Men line up for circumcision in Africa
Male circumcision catches on in sub-Saharan Africa as a way to prevent HIV infection; but demand for the operation exceeds availability
By Nathan Seppa
Clinics offering discounted or free circumcision for men in sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing long lines and keen interest as word spreads that the operation provides partial protection against HIV and may offer other benefits, researchers report.
But governments in the region have been slow to embrace the measure. As a result, demand in many countries is far surpassing availability.
“Right now, it’s a school holiday here and the clinics are absolutely packed with people,” says Robert Bailey, an epidemiologist at the University of Illinois at Chicago who is working on a male circumcision project in Kisumu, Kenya. The clinics where Bailey is doing research offer circumcision to boys age 10 and up, although most clients are men ages 20 to 25.