14 DAY TRIAL // South Africa, the nation with the largest number of HIV-infected people in the world (5.5 million, representing 10.8 % of the population) has found the solution: mass circumcision. This is the solution found by South African AIDS, asking for a mass circumcision program after researches revealed it decreased the rate of HIV infection by up to 60%.
"All boys born in public hospitals should be offered the operation. It is so blindingly obvious that there are real reasons for circumcision," said Professor Alan Whiteside at a national AIDS conference.
Only in India there are more HIV positive persons, but that's much less of the country's total population. Some, but not all of South Africa's ethnic groups traditionally practice circumcision.
"In South Africa, high proportions of men and women find it acceptable to be circumcised," said Neil Martinson of the Perinatal HIV/Aids Research Unit.
Some disagree with the circumcision method, as it could give men a false security sentiment, a fact that could push them towards risky behavior while it does not protect women.
Still, researches did not find an increased risky behavior.
"People weren't going around and sleeping around more because they didn't have a foreskin," said Martinson. In 2006, researches studying the connection between male circumcision and HIV infection in Africa were stopped due to sufficient evidence.
The conference's organizers did not confirm rumors that they snubbed controversial Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, as she was unhappy with her allocated slot.
"The committee confirmed that Dr Tshabalala-Msimang had been invited repeatedly to take part officially at the opening of the conference on Tuesday evening," said a statement from organizers Dira Sengwe.
Dr Tshabalala-Msimang, recently operated for liver transplant, has often advised people with HIV to consume garlic, lemons and beetroot, while expressing her doubts on anti-retroviral drugs, a fact that attracted negative tones from Anti-Aids activists, which have demanded for her dismissal.