Various stakeholders including FIDA and Anti-FGM Board have condemned health workers who are allegedly being used to conduct Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in some hospitals.
Anti-FGM Board’s Chief Executive Officer Ms Bernadette Loloju regretted that some men have been colluding with doctors to conduct FGM on their spouses especially while giving birth.
Speaking during a forum organized by FIDA to educate national government administrators from Murang’a on negative effects of FGM, Loloju observed that medical officers are well conversant with negative effects associated with FGM and thus they should be in frontline to condemn such retrogressive behaviours.
She noted that many cases of FGM especially among women occur in hospitals and warned medics abetting the vice risked prosecution as the cultural tradition remains unlawful in the country. “Our health care givers should help us in the fight against FGM instead of being used to perpetuate it. FGM puts lives of women at risk as many suffer a lot when giving birth,” added Loloju.
She challenged security officers to help in the fight against women cut saying the President’s directive is to see FGM eliminated in the country by end of next year.
A Programme Officer with FIDA Ms Alice Maraga expressed fears that FGM was slowly coming back among the Agikuyu community.
Maraga condemned traditional and religious groups which are propagating for women cut saying Murang’a County is not among hot spot in FGM but few cases are being reported. “The FGM cases being reported are said to be pushed by men. Husbands should love their wives and protect them from the genital mutilation which put the lives of the victims in danger.” She noted.
Maraga said they have recorded several cases of FGM from Murang’a County calling for concerted efforts to stop the retrogressive culture. “As an organization we have received distress calls from many women abouts attempts by their husbands who want them to undergo FGM. We are working to help the women who have reached us and we call upon all women who face similar challenges to make a report without delay,” She added.
The forum that was held at Murang’a Teachers College was prompted by a case from Kandara Sub County where a 30-year-old woman was allegedly circumcised by her husband in company of his friends.
Murang’a County Woman Representative Sabina Chege who was in attendance claimed that there are many cases of FGM which go unreported asking chiefs to act on such cases.
Chege said FGM, that she insisted endangered lives of victims, was currently being done in hospitals under instruction of parents or spouses.
By Bernard Munyao
