Sydney Professor Pushes Routine Circumcision New Zealand
A study that highlights the importance of circumcision in New Zealand is pushing for routine practice on male infants in the country, but medical experts in the country disagrees, the New Zealand Herald reports.
Circumcision reduces the risk of infections, cancer and other health issues, and as such, male infants should be subjected to it routinely, a study claims.
Sydney University Professor of Medicine Brian Morris led a team of 12 medical experts to conduct the study.
Their report revealed the risk of urinary tract infection and kidney inflammation was 10 times greater in uncircumcised babies than those circumcised.
About 10 per cent of New Zealand's male babies are circumcised, but the Government's policy is to circumcise babies only if necessary due to health issues, such as frequent infections.
However, in a differing opinion, Dr. Rosemary Marks, president of the NZ Paediatric Society, said the "small benefits" to circumcision are not enough for government to fund the procedure for all male infants.
She said there are greater priorities when it comes to health care than offering circumcision routinely.
"Personally this would be very low on my list of priorities. I don't think this is something that should be offered routinely in the New Zealand public health system," she said.
The Herald reported those who want a circumcision for religious or cultural reasons pay about $1,000 for a private hospital surgery, while those who have limited budget can go to GPs, who charge around $300.
The Herald also spoke to Auckland paediatric surgeon James Hamill, who said the consensus among paediatric surgeons is the same as the finding of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 2010.
"There is no medical indication for routine neonatal circumcision," he said.
Mr. Hamill added the recommendation of the organisation would be different if the situation were different in New Zealand.
"We don't live in a desert, or in a country with a high rate of HIV, so in different cultural or geographical context it may be different."
In reaction, Ms Morris described opposing views towards circumcision as "blinkered ideology."