Sola POPOOLA
Parents have been admonished to shun all forms of harmful cultural practice ,particularly Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as survivors are usually proned to infections.
A non Governmental organisation, New Generation Girls & Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) gave this warning during Community Dialogue to end the outlawed cultural practice.
The programme held at Oke-Ayedun Community of Ikole Local Government of Ekiti State was organised by NIGAWD with support from UNFPA.About 100 participants attended the programme.
The NIGAWD Execitive Director,Abimbola Aladejare-Salako who spoke through the the organisation’s Programme Officer ,Mrs Racheal Babalola described FGM as partial or total removal of female genitalia.
The NIGAWD official who explained that there were four different types of FGM also all were harmful and must be abandoned. She lamented that FGM survivors are often subjected to a number of stresses
Answering questions from participants, Babalola disclosed that scratching of vaginal is not related to FGM, but could asxa result of infections,stressing that Mutilated girls are more prone to infections because instrument used for cutting are usually unsterilized.
On how to stop the menace in the society Babalola urged the participants to share whatever knowledge obtained during the workshop with people around them
On whether there could be corrective surgery for the survivors, She said “
there is surgery for people that has keloids, fistula and other complications but not in all cases, they can as well seek counselling.”
Another speaker, Dr. Olusola Amodu, Head of Medical Officer Ikole Ekit narrated his experience of how he was pressurized to cut his daughters.
He ,however said the prior knowledge of the dangers of FGM saved his little girls from being cut .
Dr Amodu admonished participants not to succumb to any societal pressure because the consequences is only for the victim to bear.
Ifeoluwa Wole-Adewunmi representing Mrs. Akinleye Olukemi, the Deputy Director Nursing Service, Ministry of Health, Ekiti State said the ministry of health is in full support of it.
She said the ministry frowned at FGM practice and urged the community and its households that still sees its as a traditional rite to stop it forthwith.