Our men make the cutMen in Namibia can now become circumcised across the country, free of charge and is recommended for its health benefits. Circumcision reduces the risk of HIV Men in Namibia can now become circumcised across the country, free of charge and is recommended for its health benefits. The health ministry in Namibia is on a circumcision drive with a new campaign, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) more commonly known as the “Smart Cut”. This is being offered free of charge by the Ministry of Health nationwide for all males in Namibia.The positions of the world's major medical organisations range from considering elective circumcision of babies and children as having no benefit and significant risks to having a modest health benefits that outweighs small risks. While no major medical organisation recommends either universal circumcision for all males, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended it for areas with high rates of HIV, such as in sub-Saharan Africa.
Evidence supports that male circumcision reduces the risk of HIV infection among heterosexual men in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, the WHO recommends considering circumcision as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention programme in areas with high rates of HIV. However, evidence for a health benefit against HIV for men who have sex with men is less clear. Additionally, the effectiveness of using circumcision to prevent HIV in the developed world is also unclear. Circumcision in general is associated with reduced rates of cancer causing forms of HPV and reduced risk of both UTIs and cancer of the penis. Studies of its potential protective effects against other sexually transmitted infections have been unclear. Circumcision does not appear to have a negative impact on sexual function.
An estimated one-third of males worldwide are circumcised. The procedure is most common in the Muslim world and Israel (where it is near-universal for religious reasons), the United States, and parts of Southeast Asia and Africa. It is relatively rare in Europe, Latin America, parts of southern Africa, and most of Asia. The origin of circumcision is not known with certainty; the oldest documented evidence for it comes from ancient Egypt. Various theories have been proposed as to its origin, including as a religious sacrifice and as a rite of passage marking a boy's entrance into adulthood. It is part of religious law in Judaism and is an established practice in Islam, Coptic Christianity, and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
STAFF REPORTER