[dropcap]G[/dropcap]overnor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has for the umpteenth time warned parents and guardians to stop carrying out Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) as it destroys the healthiness of girl children. Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has for the umpteenth time warned parents and guardians to stop carrying out Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) as it destroys the healthiness of girl children.
Dr. Uwakwem furthered that the program has taken place in ten LGAs of Ehime Mbano, Ideato North, Ihitte Uboma, Ikeduru, Ngor Okpala, Oguta, Ohaji/Egbema, Orlu, Owerri Municipal and Owerri West, saying that FGM/C was the partial or total removal of external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons and implored parents and guardians to take advantage of the program.
Speaking on the guidelines and case study on FGM/C, Ugochukwu Anozie of CYDI noted that there are four types of FGM/C according to WHO, type 1, Clitoridectomy which is partial or total removal of clitoris and/or the prepuse, type 2, Excision which is partial or total removal of clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora, type 3, Infibulation which is narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and repositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora with or without excision of the clitoris and type 4, unclassified which is other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for nonmedical purposes for example pricking, pulling, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization.
Anozie posited that there is no medical, not even biblical reason for FGM/C as in Genesis 17:10-14 only stated that male children be circumcised, while calling on all and sundry to pull Imo state out of the five states where FGM/C is high in Nigeria, adding that Imo state ranks 68% according to 2013 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey.
In her speech, the FGM/C Desk Officer/Focus Person, Ministry Of Health, Mrs. Tetla Ejionye who spoke on protocol noted that the way and manner health workers attend to patients who are suffering from negative effect of FGM/C, (Ibi Nwanyi Ugwu) especially those suffering from keloid, injury, hemorrhage, genital tissue swelling, painful sexual intercourse, menstrual problems among others also matters. She urged them to kindly and softly attend to patients to enable them open up on their cases for subsequent attention.