Male circumcision
Luo elders have been urged by medics to promote Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision to fight against HIV in the county.
During a VMMC stakeholder workshop in Migori town, medics led by county chief officer Dalmas Oyugi said elders are the best people to convince the luo community so that they can embrace VMMC.
He said the practice reduces chances of HIV infection by 60% in Nyanza region with highest rates of infection.
Oyugi said the lower acceptance to circumcision in Nyanza region has resulted to higher HIV prevalence in the region.
Only 48.9 per cent of the total population of men have undergone through VMMC and Awendo sub county leads with a total of 8221.
Statistics further show that a total of 10,245 men between the age of 15-24 years have undergone through VMMC as men in the age bracket of 0-14 leads with a total of 13044.
“Elders should further target adolescent aged between the age of 15-24years because they are more prone to HIV infection,” he said.
Luo council of elders National treasurer Abel Obworo said they will encourage circumcision as currently Migori county is number four among the 47 counties in terms of HIV prevalence with 14.7 per cent.
The claim that cutting (the best) part off the penis reduces HIV “by 60%” is chanted like a mantra, but it is in fact highly debatable and means very little. Condoms are much more effective, and if you use a condom, having the foreskin cut off can make little or no difference. If men get cut because they think it will protect them, and then fail to use condoms, HIV will go up, not down. There is evidence this is happening already.