Influence of local beliefs examined

Religious and cultural beliefs compete with messages about the purpose of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC), affecting men’s decisions about whether to get circumcised, a Ugandan study found. News 24 reports that only about 20 percent of Ugandan men practice traditional male circumcision. In areas where circumcision is not a tradition, such as the fishing communities around Lake Victoria where the study was conducted, introducing VMMC is challenging because the procedure is associated with certain religious and cultural identities. The study found that traditional beliefs also affect men’s behaviour after they get circumcised, sometimes leading to early resumption of sex and other unsafe sexual behavior. The researchers concluded that VMMC programmes must consider local beliefs and involve religious and community leaders, including women, in planning and implementation (News 24, 5 December 2016).