Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision at AIDS 2014

Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) was highlighted in more than 80 presentations and abstracts at the 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) in Melbourne, Australia, from 20 to 25 July 2014. The conference featured 18 oral presentations, 48 posters, three published abstracts, and 17 sessions that addressed VMMC for HIV prevention. Five of those sessions focused primarily on VMMC; others included presentations or information about VMMC as they addressed topics such as effective HIV interventions for youth and understanding the reasons for declines in new HIV infections.

Satellite Sessions

Can New Technologies Improve Efficiency in VMMC and EIMC Scale-up? 
Organised by PSI, FHI 360, Population Council

Changing the Course of the Epidemic: Using Data, Modeling, Economic Analyses, and Innovation to Improve Program Impact
Organised by USAID/PEPFAR

From Research to Practice to Impact: Lessons from the VMMC Scale-up 
Organised by Jhpiego/MCHIP

HIV/AIDS and Youth: Presenting Biomedical, Behavioral and Structural Interventions that Work
Organised by PSI

Key Programmatic Challenges of the Acceleration of VMMC for HIV Prevention: Cost, Demand Creation, Efficiencies and Quality of Services
Organised by USAID/PEPFAR

Symposia Session

Understanding the Reasons for Declines in New HIV Infections
Co-Chairs: Peter Ghys, UNAIDS; John Kaldor, Australia

Scientific Development Workshop

Investing for Results: Equipping Governments, Development Agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Other Actors with the Knowledge and Skills to Deliver Effective HIV Responses in Humanitarian Emergencies
Co-facilitators: Sathyanarayanan Doraiswamy, UNHCR; Alice Fay, United Kingdom

Oral Poster Discussions

Effective Testing and Linkage to Care
Chair: Rachel Baggaley, WHO

The Social and Cultural Context of Risk and Prevention
Co-chairs: Leickness Simbayi, South Africa; Noreen Huni, Zimbabwe

Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision: Assessing Impacts, Barriers and Facilitators
Chair: Getrude Ncube, Zimbabwe

Oral Posters

A sport-based intervention to increase uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision among adult male football players: results from a cluster-randomised trial in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Presented by Jeff De Celles, South Africa

Are “cold-spots” of male circumcision driving the spatial distribution of HIV infection in Tanzania?
Presented by Diego Cuadros, Qatar

Assessing risk compensation post-male circumcision in Zambia's national program
Presented by Erica Soler-Hampesjek, United States

Changes in viral load after home-based HIV testing and counseling — Swaziland
Presented by Naomi Bock, Georgia

Incorrect beliefs about male circumcision and female HIV infection risk among men and women in Malawi
Presented by Brendan Maughan-Brown, South Africa

Male circumcision and the incidence of syphilis acquisition among male and female partners of HIV-1 serodiscordant heterosexual African couples: a prospective study
Presented by Jillian Pintye, United States

Piloting early infant male circumcision using two devices in Zimbabwe: a randomized trial
Presented by Webster Mavhu, Zimbabwe

The effect of conditional economic compensation on uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision: a randomized controlled trial of a demand creation intervention for male circumcision in Kenya
Presented by Kawango Agot, Kenya

Urgent need to strengthen continuum of HIV care after successful scale up of decentralized HIV care services: a prospective cohort study of newly diagnosed HIV clients in rural districts, Zambia
Presented by Vincent Chipeta, Zambia

Oral Abstract Discussions

Follow the Money: Financing and Resource Allocation for HIV Responses
Co-chairs: Deborah Birx, United States; James Kamau, Kenya

Hormonal Contraception and HIV, Difficult Choices?
Co-chairs: Rachel Baggaley, WHO; Timothy Mastro, United States

How Will We Maintain the Treatment Revolution
Co-chairs: Festus Mogae, Botswana; B.B. Rewari, India

Making the Cut: Advancing Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision
Co-chairs: Dorothy Mbori-Ngacha, UNICEF; Angela Kelly-Hanku, Papua New Guinea

Mucocutaneous Immune Responses in Transmission and Pathogenesis
Co-chairs: J. Victor Garcia-Martinez, United States; Raina Fichorova, United States

Stepping up National Coordination and Ownership of HIV Programming
Co-chairs: Benedict David, Australia; Mean Chhi Vun, Cambodia

Oral Abstracts

Age, adverse events, HT uptake and HIV prevalence: results from a 6-week joint voluntary medical male circumcision campaign in Malawi
Presented by Amon Nkhata, Malawi

Assessing technical efficiency of HIV prevention interventions in four African countries
Presented by Sergio Bautista-Arredondo, Mexico

Association of foreskin pro-inflammatory chemokines with HIV acquisition in Rakai, Uganda
Presented by Godfrey Kigozi, Uganda

Costing of Mozambique’s HIV acceleration plan: strategically using costing data to step up financial and human resources to scale up services
Presented by Arin Dutta, United States

Estimating the cost efficiency of introducing the Prepex circumcision device in Zambia
Presented by Lyndsey Vandament, Zambia

HIV incidence among women is associated with their partners’ circumcision status in the township of Orange Farm (South Africa) where the male circumcision roll-out is ongoing
Presented by Kévin Jean, France 

Hitting it big and fast — the Kenya experience on HTC and VMMC 2013 joint national campaign
Presented by Dan Kipkorir Koros, Kenya

Multi-country analysis of the cost implications of HIV treatment scale-up
Presented by Samantha Diamond, United States

Using non physician surgeons in scaling up safe medical circumcision (SMC) Uganda. TASO Mbale experience
Presented by Martyn Tumuheki, Uganda

Weighing 17 years of evidence: does hormonal contraception increase HIV acquisition risk among Zambian women in discordant couples?
Presented by Kristin Wall, United States

Posters

Age, regional, and urban/rural considerations in refocusing the voluntary medical male circumcision for HIV prevention program in Malawi
K. Kripke, et al. (United States and Malawi)

Application of multi-pronged mobilization approaches to improve uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision services: a case study of Northern Uganda
S. Kabogoza (Uganda)

Assessment of the opportunities and challenges to female condom integration in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) programs for HIV-prevention in Kenya
K. Whipkey, et al. (United States and Kenya)

Barrier and facilitators to provider-initiated assessment of fertility intentions among men and women living with HIV in Uganda
F. Bajunirwe, et al. (United States, Uganda, South Africa, Canada)

“Be wise? circumcise”: a targeted mobilization campaign in Mitchells Plein, Cape Town, South Africa
N. Soboil and J. Cockburn (South Africa)

Can women in Zimbabwe play a role in persuading their men to get a medical male circumcision to increase uptake?
D. Kasprzyk, et al. (United States, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong)

Characteristics and motivations of early adopters of voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in Lesotho
V. Kikaya, et al. (Lesotho and United States)

Circumcision is associated with lower HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in India
D.D. Celentano, et al. (United States and India)

Considerations for a successful voluntary medical male circumcision school campaign: lessons from Botswana
G. Stolarsky, et al. (Botswana and United States)

Cost analysis comparing PrePex and surgical voluntary medical male circumcision in Maputo, Mozambique
M. Mahomed, et al. (Mozambique, United States, South Africa)

Determinants of technical efficiency of HIV prevention interventions in four African countries
S. Bautista-Arredondo, et al. (Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, United States)

Effective approaches for programming to reduce adolescent vulnerability to HIV infection, risk and HIV-related morbidity and mortality: a systematic review of systematic reviews
S. Napierala Mavedzenge, et al. (United States and United Kingdom)

Effective channels of communication for voluntary medical male circumcision demand creation
M. Mittochi (Malawi)

Estimating the effects of targeting voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) programs to different age groups: the decision makers program planning toolkit (DMPPT 2.0)
J. Stover and K. Kripke (United States)

Evidence-based factors to target to increase adolescent male circumcision (MC) uptake decisions among parents of adolescents in Zimbabwe
D. Kasprzyk, et al. (United States, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong)

Experiences of participants about PrePex™ device removal pain in a Botswana study
A. Musiige, et al. (Botswana and United States)

Follow up of circumcised clients at 48-hours post-surgery in Uganda: reducing adverse events and reinforcing prevention messages
G. Buyinza, et al. (Uganda)

Follow-up rates and adverse events after voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC): data from Tanzania after four years of program implementation
H. Mahler, et al. (Tanzania and United States)

From 0 to 68K: rapid expansion of couples voluntary counseling and testing in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia
M. Inambao, et al. (United States, Zambia, Rwanda)

Health behind bars: HIV prevention and health promotion in prison settings in Mozambique
A. Zandamela, et al. (Mozambique and United States)

HIV prevalence among younger adolescents is almost double that of older adolescents attending VMMC services in Tanzania
D. Boyee, et al. (Tanzania and United States)

HIV/AIDS and Islam in Malawi: how do religious leaders negotiate key HIV prevention and treatment messages within their communities?
N. Saddiq-Tayub, et al. (Malawi)

High incidence and prevalence of HIV infection among men who have sex with men in India
S.S. Solomon, et al. (United States and India)

Improving treatment adherence advice and support for 50,000 people living with HIV in Zambia through the use of the electronic End AIDS Portal
N.M. Phiri (Zambia)

Medical conditions of ineligibility among HIV negative men seeking the PrePex device procedure for male circumcision
A. Musiige, et al. (Botswana and United States)

Men in Papua New Guinea accurately report their own circumcision status
P.H.M. Jayathunge, et al. (Australia and Papua New Guinea)

Men’s understanding of and experiences during the post-circumcision abstinence period: results from a field study of ShangRing circumcision during routine clinical services in Kenya and Zambia
M. Barone, et al. (United States, Kenya, Zambia)

Models of HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) integration in Marie Stopes International Ethiopia (MSIE)
D. Mekonnen, et al. (Ethiopia)

New investment framework for HIVAIDS: making the case in Botswana
P. Stegman, et al. (United States, Botswana, Namibia)

Perception of risk and acceptance of condoms but lack of knowledge on PrEP and rectal microbicides in MSM in Pune, India
R. Paranjape, et al. (India)

Post-operative adverse events among HIV positive clients undergoing voluntary medical male circumcision in Tanzania
T. Adamu, et al. (Tanzania and United States)

Potential cost-effectiveness of a pre-exposure prophylaxis intervention for female sex workers in Nairobi: prioritizing within a core group
I. Cremin, et al. (United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, United States)

Predictors for uptake of voluntary medical male circumcision in Zimbabwe: analysis using the adoption stairway
P. Jasi and M.P. Mapingure (Zimbabwe)

Reducing HIV transmission, harmful cultural practices, stigma and discrimination through empowerment and participation of people living with HIV — the case of the STAR circles in Malawi
D. Kuphanga (Malawi)

Safety and efficacy of the PrePex™ device for male circumcision performed by primary care nurses at primary health care level in Zimbabwe
K. Hatzold, et al. (Zimbabwe)

Safety profile of PrePex male circumcision device in adolescents aged 13–17 years in Zimbabwe
K. Hatzold, et al. (Zimbabwe)

Scaling up voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) through effective demand creation strategies in Malawi
P. Chikolowere Mkandawire, et al. (Malawi)

Surgical outcomes of newly trained Shang Ring VMMC providers
Q.D. Awor, et al. (Kenya and United States)

Targeted community-based messaging in urban and peri-urban district of Zambia accelerates uptake of HIV prevention services in selected health centers
P. Mano and E. Nalavwe (Zambia)

The acceptability and safety of the Shang Ring for adolescent male circumcision in Rakai, Uganda
G. Kigozi, et al. (Uganda and United States)

Traditional leaders addressing poverty and other developmental issue as a strategy to mitigate HIV/AIDS in Zambia
M.M. Nyumbu, et al. (Zambia)

Trends in male circumcision awareness and attitudes among adults across six traditional authorities in rural Kasungu District, Central Malawi
L.W. Galvao, et al. (United States and Malawi)

Unusual complications following adult male circumcision using the PrePex device
T. Mastro, et al. (United States and Kenya)

Use of social media to increase HIV/AIDS awareness, testing and support among the young LGBTs in Kampala city. A case study in Uganda
S. Mugisha (Uganda)

Use of the Shang Ring for male circumcision in boys in Kenya: results from a pilot study
Q. Awori, et al. (Kenya and United States)

Using real-time SMS to understand barriers to HIV prevention services among adolescents in Zambia: lessons learned and implications for adolescent health programming
L. Tsague, et al. (Zambia and South Africa)

Utilisation of safe male circumcision services by men aged 18-54 years in fishing communities in Kalungu district, Uganda
A. Mutaawe (Uganda)

Whose decision matters when it comes to early infant male circumcision? Qualitative findings from Harare, Zimbabwe and their implications for demand generation initiatives
W. Mavhu, et al. (Zimbabwe and United Kingdom)