It's a simple device - two concentric plastic rings - but its use could help turn the tide on Africa's AIDS epidemic.
The Shang Ring circumcision device - invented in China and lauded by Bill Gates - is being used in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia and 10 other African countries affected by AIDS.
Invented by wholesale trader Shang Jianzhong, from south China's Anhui Province, the Shang Ring is a disposable device comprising two plastic rings that lock together over the foreskin. Unlike conventional surgery, the Shang Ring does not require sutures, involves minimal bleeding and shortens the procedure to just three to five minutes.
"The whole circumcision process is as simple as having a cup of coffee or grabbing a hamburger," says Shang, 60.
He swore he would help other men after experiencing a traditional circumcision.
"A poorly cut foreskin left me bed-ridden for more than a month during the Spring Festival in 2002," Shang recalls. "Pain, panic, stitches, antibiotics, no taking a bath, staying in bed, a risk of a second surgery..."
Shang drew on his carpentry skills acquired in his early years and expertise gained at a local survey and design academy to make the first Shang Ring model in two months.
"It was made of wood and I tried it on my dog successfully," Shang recalls.
Shang realized that his invention had a value beyond just improving the circumcision experience, so he devoted almost half of his savings into commercializing Shang Ring and setting up a company.
The Shang Ring went on the market and 1,200 sample cases gradually drew the attention of international medical experts.
Over the next three years, clinical outcomes in local hospitals proved its effectiveness. Shang improved his original design, earning a China patent.
"On September 26, 2006, I was invited to the Second Asia-Pacific Forum on Andrology and showcased the Shang Ring. Experts from Edinburgh University and Melbourne University observed the process and said it was impressive," Shang recalls.
Since 2006, the Shang Ring has been introduced in about 3,000 Chinese hospitals and successfully used in more than a million adult male circumcisions.
Later, he met Philip Li, a doctor and associate professor at Cornell University. The first time Li saw the Shang Ring, he said to Shang, "This will change your life, and mine."
