KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda on Monday launched a program to circumcise over a million men every year in a bid to stem the increase in HIV infections.

“”Uganda still has a big epidemic of HIV, and last year we had 123,000 new infections,”” Dr. Christopher Oleke, an official with the project under the health ministry told reporters. “”We are launching this program to target over 1 million males aged 14-55 years.””

Mobile health units will be used to reach outlying areas of the country under the voluntary exercise, which aims to increase the percentage of circumcised people in the country from 20 to 40 percent, Oleke said.

More than 2.5 million people have been infected by HIV in the East African country since the virus that causes AIDS was diagnosed here in the early 1980s. Half the number has died, according to the health ministry.

There is some evidence suggesting circumcision decreases the chances of passing on the infection.