Only skin deep: limitations of public health understanding of male circumcision in South Africa

The recent randomised controlled trials in South Africa, Uganda and Kenya which showed the dramatic impact of adult male circumcision (MC) on HIV transmission have dominated HIV/AIDS public health discourse over the past few years. Several authors in the October 2008 SAMJ cautioned against widespread implementation of MC as a prevention intervention. More evidence on the acceptability and effectiveness of male circumcision is required to support the scale-up effort. Particularly in non-circumcising communities, traditional cultural views will influence circumcision's uptake and acceptability.