A Retired Nurse, Mrs Rita Ugwu, on Thursday cautioned parents against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as it could lead to infertility and death through bleeding.
Ugwu, who is a former staff of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) gave the warning in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday.
She described FGM as the removal of genital tissue which involves removing necessary glands, making the vaginal environment to become unfavourable to sperm.
According to her, some female children, who undergo such practice are at risk of infertility.
“FGM often results in painful intercourse, inability to have intercourse, infections and frigidity,” she said.
The retired nurse further explained that FGM included partial or total removal of the clitoris and possibly the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris, removal of the labia minor and the labia major, among others.
Ugwu called on all levels of government to put in place appropriate institutional frameworks for advocacy and plans against the practice, especially in rural areas where many parents still involved in FGM.
She advised parents to desist from such practice so as not to endanger the lives of their female children.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had recognised FGM as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
According to WHO, the new modelling reveals that the total costs of treating the health impacts of FGM would amount to 1.4 billion dollars globally per year if all resulting medical needs are addressed.
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