Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada
Dr Chris Agboghoroma, Chief Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, National Hospital, Abuja on Thursday described Female Genital Mutilation as a disaster.Agboghoroma told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that any mutilated child suffered psychological trauma.“FGM is a major disaster that we must avoid,” the consultant said.He said FGM also known as female circumcision or female genital cutting “is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all external female genitalia.’’The consultant described such practice as an abuse, assault and injustice to women apart from the psychological trauma on them.Agboghoroma, the immediate past Secretary General of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, identified some of the instruments used as unsterilised blades, scissors and knife.“The practice of using knife, razor blade, scissors among others to cut the clitoris without anaesthesia gives psychological trauma to a child which lingers till such a child becomes an adult,’’ he said.He said that such a child would not derive pleasure in sex when she attained womanhood because of the mutilation.“This can be a major problem and tragedy when she eventually marries,’’ he said.The consultant said some of the cuttings could go as far as narrowing the virginal when the child had come of age, thereby making penetration or sexual intercourse difficult.“Other problems associated with the practice are excessive bleeding, which can lead to death, virginal stenosis, that is narrowing the opening of the virginal and exposure to infectious diseases, among others,’’ he said.Agboghoroma said this could lead to surgical operation when the woman eventually became pregnant and to death if not properly handled.He advised those indulging in such practice to desist from it to restore dignity to humanity and to avail women opportunity to actualise the gain of womanhood.“FGM must be forbidden because there is no health benefit rather lot of problems are associated with it.“Such cuts have both short and long term effects. Some cutting are so bad that later in life, the virginal opening is like a pin which will require surgery to open it up for the woman to be able to have sex,” he said.
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