Evaluation of the acceptability and safety of the ShangRing device for male circumcision in Shinyanga, Tanzania
Male circumcision (MC) reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by 60%. Tanzania is among the 14 sub-Saharan African countries that is scaling up voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention through conventional surgical circumcision. Accelerating the scale up of MC in areas with high HIV prevalence, low MC coverage, and a predominantly heterosexual epidemic is a key component in a comprehensive response for HIV epidemic control. Medical circumcision devices have the potential to speed up the roll out of MC by making the procedure quicker and easier than surgical circumcision, while remaining just as safe. The ShangRing was prequalified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2015 as a promising device for circumcision in adolescent and adult males 13 years and older. Based on the WHO’s framework for introducing MC devices in countries, IntraHealth International in Tanzania conducted a study to evaluate the acceptability and safety of the ShangRing MC device in Tanzania.