We all know that AIDS, the illness that is caused by the virulent HIV virus, has killed millions in the African nations, and it has become such an epidemic that most young men in African nations, including Kenya, either have the virus themselves or know someone that has died or is dying of AIDS, and many times know several men who are dying from the disease which has become so powerful over there that it kills very quickly since anti AIDS drugs are hard to come by.

Circumcision it seems, is finally becoming and accepted method over there for the prevention of contracting the AIDS virus.  It was once looked at by many Kenyan tribes as a loss of part of one’s manhood and therefore frowned upon, but the fact is that circumcision, where the male penis is altered in the foreskin area to prevent the harboring of bacteria - and in this case, viruses, is a good way to help prevent AIDS, although it is not by any means a “vaccine” to keep the disease away.

There are programs being rolled out in several African nations which are offering free circumcision, especially in areas where it is not a customary tradition, to get men over there used to the fact that this little procedure could in fact save their lives.  It is estimated that circumcision may cut the rate of HIV infection by as much as 60 percent, so that is definitely a good odds maker and case maker for getting the procedure done to increase life expectancy by keeping AIDS away.

There is still much education that has to happen to get African men to accept circumcision as a health preventive measure, as it is still not recognized as acceptable in many subcultures in Africa, and a lot of men still look down on the procedure, however much it may increase their odds of not contracting the AIDS virus.  Let’s hope that through education and further free programs we can help the African nation with the epidemic of AIDS and save more men from this dreaded disease.