Uganda: Kampala Supports Circumcision Against Aids

The Monitor (Kampala)

25 July 2007

John Sserwaniko
Kampala

The majority of people in Kampala believe that circumcising all new born baby boys will significantly reduce HIV infection rates, a report has shown.

This follows the government's planned nationwide campaign to have new born babies circumcised to reduce the HIV prevalence rate from the current 6.3 per cent.

Arising from a July 14 -15 survey, a report titled "the Social Political Economic & Cultural (SPEC) Barometer" shows that 53 per cent of Kampalans support the move.

About 500 respondents, aged 21-51, were carefully picked from the five administrative divisions that make up Kampala District. The report was compiled by Steadman Group, a research agency that specialises in sampling public opinion on topical issues.

Forty eight per cent of the respondents were reportedly women and 52 per cent men whose education background ranged from the 'never gone to school' category to holders of post university qualifications.

The proposal for massive circumcision- as a strategy against HIV/Aids- gained unprecedented momentum in May when officials in the Ministry of Health and other government departments showed great support for the idea.

Proponents have since suggested that another C-for Circumcision-be added on to the ABC (Abstinence, Be faithful or use Condom) strategy to make it ABCC.

At a conference on HIV/Aids in Sydney, Australia, over the weekend, world experts on fighting the HIV pandemic called for more research on the effectiveness of circumcision as a strategy against HIV/Aids.

The conference issued a declaration urging governments to devote 10 per cent of their HIV funds to research.

However, the survey shows that 47 per cent of the respondents believe circumcision will not reduce HIV infection rates at all, although it doesn't give details as regards factors that could have influenced people's perceptions.

The Steadman report also contains views on what people think of the recent scrapping of the law against adultery.

Law on adultery

Seventy per cent of the respondents felt that scrapping the law would have "grave consequence" on marriages.