Publications

Uganda Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2016 asserted that only 26% of adult malesin Uganda were circumcised and HIV prevalence among uncircumcised males was higher (6.7%)than in circumcised males (4.5%). Safe male circumcision could reduce the risk of new infections ofHIV among males by 60%. A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive study among males involved44 males aged 10-49 that were selected through a convenient sampling method focused onknowledge, attitudes, and practices towards safe male circumcision among males 10-49 yearsattending Ishaka Adventist Hospital in Ishaka-bushenyi municipality. Most males wereBanyankole single aged 10-19(36.9%), with low formal education (54.4%) primary and (11.3%)none. 100% had heard about SMC, from radios (56.8%) and few from health workers (11.4%). Theyknew SMC for increasing sexual pleasure and avoiding other STIs but not HIV. 68.2% did notknow where they could get SMC services from. Males agreed (65.5%) strongly agreed (31.8%) thatPost SMC wounds take long to heal, while 43.3 and 36.6 agreed and strongly agreed thatcircumcised males perform better sexually. The majority of males were comfortable with localanesthesia (79.5%), whereas stitching and bandaging were opposed (29.5%) and (36.3%). 20.4% ofmales were circumcised, the Majority of having been circumcised below 10 years (44.4%) bymajorly religious leaders (55.5%). Those circumcised receive pain management (66.6%) educationon wound care (55.5%) and STIs screening (22.2%) while HIV screening by only 11.1%. There isconsiderably low knowledge of SMC and those that know about SMC know it for other purposeslike sexual pleasure and sexual performance but not HIV prevention, while envy a few that knowabout SMC do not know where they can access SMC services from. Negative attitudes are basicallyon wound healing they fear that long and HIV risk reduction that they disagree with. Whilestitching and bandaging post-SMC wounds were opposed, local anesthesia and pain managementhad strong support for males. The government move of the SMC campaign for all males has lowsupport from males 10-49 years it targets from the ground. While those that are circumcised do itat younger age < than 10 for other reasons mostly religious than HIV control