Change of pace; Circumcision may be the answer to Aids, says Clinton
United Against Aids photo Michael Silver-
Come again? I was looking for something else and hopefully something interesting to post when I saw this headline.
Bill Clinton called for the world to prepare to tackle the cultural taboos surrounding circumcision yesterday if, as many expect, trials show that it protects men and the women they sleep with from Aids.AND
In a speech to the International Aids conference in Toronto, Canada, Mr Clinton said that if the trials had good results, there would be a major job of persuasion ahead. "Should this be shown to be effective, we will have another means to prevent the spread of the disease and to save lives, and we will have a big job to do," he said. "It is important that as we leave here we all be prepared for a green light that could have a staggering impact on the male population but that will be frankly a lot of trouble to get done."
The potential for preventing HIV through circumcision was one of the interventions spoken of with most hope in Toronto this week. Mr Clinton also backed opt-out schemes for HIV testing, such as that being introduced in Lesotho. "If it is done right, Lesotho's infection will plummet and more people will live," he said.PLUS
More than 15 million children in sub-Saharan Africa will have lost one or both parents to Aids by 2010, according to the UN which says the world has failed youngsters. At the launch of a report entitled Children Affected by Aids in Toronto, Michel Sidibe of UNAids said children were "the missing face" of the pandemic.
Click on title for full article..remember..when you can't put the mouse back into the house..put a little collar on 'm..ehm, so to speak.
posted by Ingrid at
10:34 PM
8 Comments:
If this were true, the rate of AIDS in the US would be lower because most men born after 1955 are circumcised when they are born.
That's odd--I thought circumcision was a regular practice as a "coming of age" ritual in sub-Saharan Africa. I wonder what the numbers are there? I also find it odd since most European males are not circumcised, and Europe has a much lower HIV infection rate. I guess I have more faith in the idea from Bill Gates (and the work being done by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) of a pill or cream that can be used by women to protect themselves from infection (and hopefully then their children).
Zazou, Sothis, I thought it was a 'strange' title when I first read it. I know everyone here in the US is (if I had known what it really meant, I would not have had my son be circumcised, but that was my European ignorance on that one..)I would say the practices of especially the men in Africa are more promiscuous than in the US (all things being relative) plus it's a matter of numbers, and their numbers are higher (in terms of people) are higher. Somehow I cannot imagine that even when circumcised you can prevent aids, because 'in is in'..so..but..I thought it was an interesting article. It was talked about the annual aids conference so there must be 'something' to it. I am sure that other options were being discussed, but, which headline looks more interesting;Melinda Gates advocates a pill, or Clinton advocating circumcision..
Ingrid
I agree- it is an interesting article- especially considering who the advice comes from! It's just ...so bizarre! :)
LOL! Too true Zazou!
Ingrid
I can't understand the correlation between both things, but now I know that being Jewish is healthier...
ha Yohay, I still can't figure out how they 'figure' it to be safer either! American men are for the most part circumcised as well, my son was the day after he was born. But, coming from Holland, I think if I had known, I would not have let them do so. Good thing he doesn't remember..
Ingrid
I always thought that the infection of AIDS had to to with the transmission of body fluids and not the shape of skin.
Circumcision is like piercing - an alteration of your physical body.
But I could be wrong of course ...
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