1.5 Million Men To Be Circumcised In South Sudan

One and a half million South Sudanese men are expected to be circumcised.

The circumcision program affects 15 to 49-year-olds in the country in a bid to reduce the spread of HIV in the country, Naija News gathered.

Studies show that circumcised men are less likely to be infected with HIV if they have not been in contact with an infected person.

Human Appeal Associates, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, is looking for volunteers within five years.

Circumcision is practised in only three regions of South Sudan, where circumcision is illegal.

The government has described low circumcision rates as a major concern when it comes to the spread of HIV.

“The demand for circumcision in the capital, Juba, alone is very, very high,” Robert Matthew Uku, from Human Appeal Associates revealed.

“Nearly 100 males – including 25 adults – were circumcised over the weekend.”

Nearly 2.3 per cent of South Sudanese 15- to 49-year-olds are thought to be HIV-positive, UNAids says