Rural communities in Nigeria have been asked to stop female genital mutilation, FGM, in view of its long lasting harmful effects on the children which may linger for a lifetime. And these include inflicting avoidable mental, psychological and physical pains on the victims, excessive bleeding (hemorrhage), life threatening infectious diseases like Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI), tetanus and HIV, among several others.
Specifically, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF stressed the need especially for rural communities to do away with the harmful practice saying it has no health benefit, but has more harmful effects for the girl child.
UNICEF representative in Ekiti, Oyo and Osun states, Mrs Aderonke Olutayo, stated this at the inauguration and training of the Local Government Area Technical Committee on FGM in Ekiti West local government area of Ekiti state.
According to her, the practice amounts to infliction of avoidable mental, psychological and physical pains on the victims. She listed the harmful effects of the practice to include excessive bleeding, (hemorrhage) infectious diseases, like Sexually Transmitted Infections, (STI) tetanus, and HIV.
Mrs Olutayo listed other effects as painful menstruation, phobia for sex, neurosis, keloid and cyst formation, lack of confidence and feeling of inadequacy in sexual relationship, prolonged labour leading to obstruction, increased infant mortality and morbidity which could also result in death. She therefore called for its stoppage.
Inaugurating the committee at the local government secretariat at Aramoko-Ekiti, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Ayotunde Omole, charged the committee members to go into all the towns and farm steads in the council area to propagate the campaign.
Represented by the Director, Public Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Oluwafemi Omoniyi, the PS said there is the need for vigorous enlightenment and mobilization campaign on the need to eradicate the practice of FGM in all the communities in the council area.
Addressing the committee members, the Gender/Family Planning Coordinator, State Ministry of Health, Mrs Olukemi Akinleye, said that for several years now, the UNICEF, UNFPA and other World agencies have mounted vigorous enlightenment and mobilization campaign on the need to eradicate the practice of FGM in our communities.
“In Ekiti state, this local government is one of the areas with high prevalence of the practices and UNICEF has supported the Federal and State governments and NGOs to mount mobilization and enlightenment campaigns on the effects of FGM on the health of the girl child and women in our society.
The UNICEF representative also led the state and local government steering committee members on sensitisation visit to Ogotun, Igbara-Odo and Ilawe-Ekiti, all in Ekiti West council area, to secure the well being of the female child.
The team urged the rural communities to do away with FGM, saying it has no health benefit but more harmful effects to the girl child.
Participants at various communities urged the organizers to caution health care providers to desist from the habit of such practice.
23 member committee was however inaugurated at Ekiti West local government area of Ekiti state to champion the fight against the eradication of FGM practice.
The members consists of medical personnel, Iyalojas, security agents, NOA, youths and civil society organizations.
