Govt targets male circumcision for HIV, cervical cancer spread prevention

The Malawi government says it expects to circumcise about 80% of men in the country within 2 years, As one way of preventing the spread of cervical cancer and HIV/AIDS.

This follows research that male circumcision has proven to be one of the additional prevention measures to HIV.

Launching the voluntary male medical circumcision national policy in Lilongwe, Deputy Minister of health Halima Daudi said the ministry went ahead to adopt the policy based on trials that were done in South Africa, kenya and Uganda

The results of the trial indicate that male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV acquisition by 60%.

She said that alone gives the country a sound base for adopting and integrating male circumcision into the existing HIV prevention strategies.