"The Government's long awaited male circumcision campaign -- aimed at reducing HIV infection -- will be launched by the end of March next year, Yogan Pillay, the deputy director general of health said this week.

But the policy is being strenuously resisted by traditional leaders, who insist that circumcision is a customary, not a health, procedure and that "strangers" will not be allowed to oversee traditional practices.

Some insiders, who have seen the draft policy, believe health department implementation could happen as early as December this year.

Male circumcision can reduce a man's risk of contracting HIV by 60%. The foreskin contains HIV target cells and is easily abraded during sex, which encourages infection." Read more