Mutembei IB, Mwesiga MK; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 436 (abstract no. 23473).

Medical AID Foundation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the reasons behind compasory circumcision on girls and to establish the magnitude of girls that are circumcised world-wide. To find out the magnitude of females who get infected of HIV/AIDS/STDs through circumcision. To investigate how many countries in Africa do still practise circumcision on young ladies. To examine any other side effects resulting from circumcision on girls. METHODS: Since January 1995 over 7350 young ladies and girls below 16 years were interviewed on the reasons for circumcision, how is circumcision conducted, the equipment used, and on whether they would like to be circumcised or not. Also the level of education and age at which girls are subjected to circumcision were investigated. Furthermore, the practice of circumcision was traced at the national, continental and global levels as well as the magnitudes. RESULTS: 95% give two reasons for circumcision, i.e. to be considered clean and to reduce sexual urge. 97% reveal that one equipment can be used on 15 to 20 girls and crude equipment such as stones (sharp) and pieces of glasses are often used. At the present moment many girls don't like circumcision but they are forced because of traditions e.g. not getting married if not circumcised. Mostly the girls get circumcised at the age of 14 and below while attending Primary Education. Besides Tanzania, circumcision is practised in Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, Gambia, Liberia, Somalia, Sierra Leone etc. More than 145 million get circumcised globally. CONCLUSION: Using one equipment to circumcise more than 15 girls at a go, facilitates HIV/AIDS/STDs transmission. Also using crude objects such as sharp stones cause a lot of bleeding which may lead to death. Some ladies reported complications at the time of giving birth.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Africa
• Circumcision, Female
• Circumcision, Male
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Female
• Gambia
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Liberia
• Male
• Mali
• Niger
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Tanzania
• education
• surgery
• transmission

Other ID:

• 98395501

UI: 102229101

From Meeting Abstracts