Relationship Between Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision and HIV Reduction: A Critical Review

Abstract

In Kenya, male circumcision among earlier non practicing communities, like the communities from Western Kenya gained popularity in 2008. This is when the voluntary medical male circumcision was introduced as one of the campaigns to reduce the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). According to [1], as at the end of the year 2013, 792,000 males had been circumcised in the region. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between voluntary medical male circumcision and HIV reduction. The study was based on already done studies and purely depended on findings of past studies. The study revealed that voluntary medical male circumcision can significantly reduce contraction of HIV. It was evident that voluntary medical male circumcision only provides partial protection from HIV infection. While some studies showed that male circumcision is statistically proven to reduce HIV contraction among men than in women. It was also noted that is not properly done, HIV can be transmitted during male circumcision. This review study recommends further study in HIV prone areas like Western Kenya to assess the specific impact of voluntary medical male circumcision commissioned by Kenya government in 2008.