Snipping away at the HIV pandemic, one foreskin at a time

Abstract

Nearly two million South African men will have been voluntarily circum­ cised by the end of this year, about half of the government’s original target – yet even this will have conservatively prevented 133 333 new HIV infections as a timely new public/pri­ vate sector initiative kicks in to boost overall efforts. In spite of this, alarm bells continue to ring as interventions for women, twice as vulnerable biologically and culturally, remain in various stages of trial.