Report Filed By Gibbs Dube - Circumcision Series Part One

AT LEAST 13 EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICAN NATIONS INTRODUCED MEDICAL MALE CIRCUMCISION FIVE YEARS AGO FOLLOWING SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS INDICATING THAT THE REMOVAL OF THE MALE ORGAN'S FORESKIN REDUCES H-I-V TRANSMISSION BY 60 PERCENT. THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM IS SUCCEEDING IN CERTAIN COMMUNITIES --  BUT STRUGGLING IN OTHERS, DUE TO STRONG CULTURAL BELIEFS, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND FEARS OVER IMPOTENCE.  IN THIS FIRST EDITION OF OUR THREE-PART SERIES, VOA'S GIBBS DUBE FOCUSES ON THE STATE OF MALE CIRCUMCISION PROGRAMS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA.