Israeli doctors and nurses are returning from a two week sojourn in KwaZulu-Natal, a province of South Africa. The Israelis were invited to assist in safely circumcising the male residents of the province, after they all decided to undergo circumcision voluntarily, in order to prevent HIV from taking a further toll in the area. The Israeli delegation also trained and helped local medical practitioners in safe circumcision practices.
Leaders of the province decided to undergo the step after learning that studies show that circumcised males are 65% less likely to contract HIV. The rate of HIV infection in the province in 2009 was 39%, the highest among South Africa's provinces, according to UNAIDS.