RESEARCH INTO the viability of circumcision as a means of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea has found that men are keen to have it done.

Professor John McBride, an Australian infectious disease specialist, interviewed nearly 900 men in Port Moresby, Madang, Popondetta and at the Porgera gold mine.

He says infant circumcision is quite uncommon but almost 60% of men have had either full or partial circumcision, which is known in PNG as the ‘straight cut’.

Professor McBride says full circumcision has been shown to protect against HIV infection in about 60% of cases.

“Up to 80% of men who were either uncircumcised or had the straight cut would have a circumcision if it was available safely and conveniently and certainly if we’re able to show that it reduced the rate of HIV,” he said.

However, Professor McBride said PNG women expressed concern that getting circumcised would encourage men to become more sexually active.

Source: Radio New Zealand International, 28 September
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=63405