After receiving approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to roll out non-surgical male circumcision (widely known as PrePex), the Government of Rwanda today launches nationwide scale up adult circumcision – making Rwanda the first country to launch the device with an aim of reducing HIV/Aids infection.

With the support from Global Fund and United Nations, the Ministry of Health aims at circumcising 700,000 adult men aged between 15 and 49 by the end of 2016.

It has been scientifically proven that medical male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV/Aids by roughly 60 percent.

"Male circumcision is one of the key strategies to achieving an AIDS-free generation,” said Dr Agnès Binagwaho, Rwanda's Minister for Health. "Rwanda was more aggressive to introduce non-surgical circumcision so as to further decrease HIV transmission”.

She added that "7964 circumcisions have already been done during clinical trials” across the country during the recent months, and that "all safety measures surrounding the use of the device have been taken”.

According to the data from WHO, as of January 2011, people living with HIV/Aids are estimated to be 150,000 in Rwanda – resulting in 7,800 annual deaths – while the country's adult (15-49) prevalence is 2.9%.