The World Health Organisation (WHO) has pre-qualified ShangRing, a voluntary male circumcision device capable of reducing risk for HIV infection in men.
Manufactured by Wuhu Snnda Medical Treatment Appliance Technology Company, the ShangRing is a sterile, single use circumcision device and provides an alternative to the surgical procedure associated with bleeding, inflammation, swelling and pain.
Comprising two concentric plastic rings that lock together over the foreskin to minimise bleeding, the disposable device can eliminate the use of sutures during surgical procedures, making circumcision faster and easier for patients.
Designed for use in adolescent and adult males over the age of 13, ShangRing is the first Chinese-manufactured device of its type to be WHO pre-qualified, and only the second device to be WHO pre-qualified for use worldwide.
The pre-qualification indicates the device meets international safety standards and can be used in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions where there are increased risks for HIV.
Wuhu Snnda Medical Treatment Appliance Technology board chairman Shang Jianzhong said: "This is a major milestone toward improving access to voluntary medical male circumcision, which will help to prevent HIV acquisition in low-resource settings and contribute to the international efforts to achieve an AIDS-free generation."
Homa Bay District Hospital Kenya registered community health nurse Jairus Oketch said: "The ShangRing is very simple to use and reduces the time needed to perform male circumcision by about half, compared to conventional procedures."
Male circumcision is claimed to be one of the strategies for lowering transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) recommended by WHO, as part of a comprehensive package of HIV and STI prevention strategies.
The randomised controlled trials undertaken in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa have indicated that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually-acquired HIV infection in men by nearly 60%.
