ZAMBIA: Yet More claims for circumcision

Nyasa Times
August 1, 2012

3,000 Malawian men cut off their foreskins: Less cervical cancer, reduces Aids risks

By Malawi News Agency

Malawian cancer expert at the country’s sole certified oncology unit at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QUECH) has asked authorities to consider exploring possibilities of using medical male circumcision as a measure of reducing cases of cervical cancer in women.

The country’s lone oncologist, Dr Leo Masamba told the Malawi News Agency (Mana) that though no research has been conducted locally, there are theoretical linkages between the HIV virus and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which is one of the major causes of cervical cancer in women.

Dr Masamba’s sentiments come at a time when more men are willingly to go for certified medial male circumcision since its endorsement by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a means of reducing HIV infection in 2007.

“WHO proved out that male circumcision is one of the effective ways of preventing HIV transmission with the foreskin of a manhood being the agent and HPV is also transmitted in the same way. [Not so.]

“Since cervical cancer is largely associated with HIV as sexually active women and men can take the HPV if they have sex with someone else who has this cancer, there is a high probability that if HIV can be reduced by male circumcision then the same applies to cervical cancer,” said Dr Masamba. [Total confusion.]

He said HIV and cervical cancer are similar in that they are sexually transmitted infections.

[That is a gross oversimplification]

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