Male circumcision must be urgently embraced on a grand scale to help stop millions catching HIV in third world nations ravaged by the virus, a leading HIV expert says.

US scientist Professor Robert Bailey has warned delegates at the International AIDS Society conference in Sydney that widespread circumcision programs have been delayed too long already, and further stalling will endanger more lives.

About 4,000 men are infected with HIV every day in sub-Saharan Africa, including 3,000 who are uncircumcised.

Rates are highest in countries like Botswana, where circumcision is rare.

Three major African studies recently confirmed what researchers suspected as far back as 1995 - that circumcision cuts the risk of HIV transmission by up to 60 per cent in heterosexual men.

The practice does not appear to benefit gay men in the same way, making it of little use for Australia's at-risk group.

Prof Bailey, of the University of Illinois in Chicago, told the 6,500 HIV/AIDS researchers attending the congress that now the benefits had been proven, programs must be urgently implemented.

Universal circumcision could avert two million new infections and 300,000 deaths in sub-Saharan Africa over ten years, he said.

"It's been 24 years since the first person found that circumcision was associated with HIV," he said.

"It's been a really long haul because it's the penis after all, so it's not that easy to accept that kind of intervention.

"But the time to act is right now. Delaying the roll-out of circumcision could be causing more harm, not just because more people are getting infected with HIV than necessary but also people are going to unqualified practitioners."

A lack of training and poor equipment means up to 35 per cent of these clients end up with infections or other problems.

On the back of successful trial results, the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS has backed the use of circumcision to fight the epidemic, but Prof Bailey said it was up to third world governments to take the lead.

"Until it's endorsed at a local level it's going to be difficult to get donors to come in and support services because they don't want to be seen to be imposing their values on indigenous populations," he said.

Wives and mothers would help lead the drive because they were often more in favour of the practice than men, on the grounds it promotes better hygiene.

Dr Michel Kazatchkine, director of the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - which funds treatment and prevention projects - agreed the evidence for circumcision was overwhelming.

"If countries come to us asking for money for expanding on circumcision and making it into a public health intervention, I see no reason at all why we wouldn't fund that," Dr Kazatchkine said.

© 2007 AAP

BULL CRAP!

Men ought to be given the choice to get castrated as well. That will do more good then getting circumsised..

First you preached "karamap" and proudly flexed your muscle chanting "mi ino poret mi gat "karamap". Now what is this that i hear,..."rausim karamap"!!!!!!!!! Ckkrrrrrrrrrrraaaa...!!! The first has 80% protection, and the second you say "only" 60" percentage safe. But again i hear one of your bosses say, "karamap" na "rausim karamap" tupla wanteam gutpla. So which? is it that the health authorities are loosing their "authority"?

I think there is light in "castration". Dont deal with the "skin", if you want to get to the bottom of it rausim tupla pawahaus. Castration really deals with the problem. it is the decider between "sex or life"? Guys plug you bolls out if you cant control your sticks!!!!!!

Tupin

Guys, this is not a joke. HONESTLY speaking, I have had sex with many girls including 2 HIV victims (both died) but was surprised to find that I am still healthy after many years of continuous blood tests. Even those gals I had sex later are still healthy.

Is it becoz I am circumcised or is it becoz of special hormones?

I need specialists advice...not morons'.

Chosen kid!

You must be castrated as well as circumcised then?

It's not because you have "special hormones" hahahaha. It's because the girls you had sex with didn't transfer it to you. There needs to be transfer of bodily fluids for AIDS to be passed on which is why you see all those KARAMAP adds advertising their condoms etc... Just next time use protection because you've been dodging bullets so far mate. That was all just luck. Having these special hormones is highly unlikely, you would probably be the only one in the world if they do exist. Next time you may not be so lucky so I urge you to protect yourself. You are not invincible.

(By the way if you have "special hormones", we need your cells under the microscope. Wouldn't it be great if we found the cure for AIDS?)

And if you are on a tight budget and you can not afford new condoms, reuse the old one. Wash it out and keep it for the next session. If you do not have an old one, go find one that was used and thrown away. You are saving money and being environment friendly..

yoh, salim sampla special hormones kam. Mipla sekim long lab.Actually, I hope you still be around once the human genome project is completed then we will ask you to provide some sample of your skin cells and we will analysis to see if you have any HIV resistant genes in you.

Meanwhile, make use of karamap, nogut virus giamanim yu, remember its a tricky and nasty virus.

HIV scientist

Circumcision does not prevent AIDS virus.