South Africa’s medical male circumcision (MMC) drive has received a major boost from the United States government to the tune of R100 million to sustain the programme. The money will go a long way towards the national Health Department’s goal of 500 000 MMCs in 2013. So far about 170 000 MMCs have been performed. This funding is in addition to the R360 million that PEPFAR has committed. Since research has shown that MMC can reduce a man’s risk of HIV infection by up to 60%, it is viewed as a high-impact prevention strategy. The national Health Department estimates that more than a million new HIV infections could be prevented if 80% of men between the ages of 15 and 49 are circumcised. This would also mean that there would be a saving on money spent for HIV and AIDS treatment. South Africa spent $672 million in the last two years – just over
R3 billion – on anti-retroviral treatment.
