While many Western doctors routinely encourage circumcision of newborns, surgeons in government hospitals and clinics in southern Africa typically schedule circumcisions only if medically necessary. At Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto the waiting list runs six to nine months. To offer it more broadly, "you can imagine what kind of resources would have to be made available," said Martin Smith, head of the hospital's surgery department.
Although circumcision is not a custom among most ethnic groups in the region, studies in Botswana and elsewhere suggest that more than half of men would accept circumcision if it were free and done safely. Most say they think circum-cision improves hygiene and sexual pleasure.
The few programs that offer free or low-cost circumcision have been swamped with applicants. Officials of the Family Life Association, a nonprofit organization in Swaziland, expected a few dozen volunteers when they offered free circumcisions in January. But about 140 men and boys showed up at its clinic in the Swazi capital, Mbabane. Doctors worked until 8pm to circumcise 54 patients and told the rest to come back later. About 10 men and boys returned in February,
including a 28-year-old laboratory technician, a 19-year-old student and a 31-year-old unemployed father of four. Dennis Mkhonta, 44, a married government meteorologist, said he wanted to be circumcised for hygenic reasons. But he wants his 21-year-old son to do so because he is afraid of HIV.
"There is nobody who is not," Mkhonta said. "I tell my sons: Protect yourselves." Thulani Shongwe, 29, missed the Family Life Association's one-day advertisement and appears to be out of luck. In the past four years, he said, he has gone repeatedly to the government hospital asking to be circumcised, only to be told to try again another day. He said that "they give the impression they don't care much about it." But he does. "It reduces the risk of HIV," he said. Besides, he added, "my girlfriend wants me to do it."
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