Health Workers Perform 1 in 4 FGM Cases: Experts Warn of Disturbing Trend

While female genital mutilation (FGM) is on the decline worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed alarm over a troubling trend: the growing number of health professionals taking part in performing the practice. The change, colloquially termed the "medicalization" of FGM, is sounding an alarm among health activists who say it risks unconsciously legitimizing the practice.

FGM, involving the cutting or mutilation of female genitalia for non-medical purposes, has been established as a risky and deeply embedded cultural practice for many years. Though some may believe that having trained health workers perform it reduces the risk, the WHO emphasizes that such procedures still inflict serious physical and psychological harm, regardless of the setting or the skill of the practitioner.

Statistics from 2020 highlight the magnitude of the problem: around 52 million women and girls have undergone FGM at the hands of healthcare providers, accounting for roughly 25 percent of all known cases. The WHO is now urging governments, medical institutions, and communities to take stronger action to halt this trend, warning that medicalization could lend the illusion of safety and legitimacy to an otherwise dangerous and unethical act.

In turn, the WHO has issued new guidelines to aid prevention and enhance care among survivors at various stages of their lives. They recommend increased training, particularly among physicians, nurses, and midwives who frequently act as most influential figures within communities where the practice is continued. A 2022 WHO training toolkit aims to equip primary healthcare providers with the knowledge and communication tools to sensitively address the issue while respecting cultural contexts.

According to Christina Pallitto, a senior scientist at WHO and co-author of related research, health workers can act as catalysts for change. “They are often seen as trusted opinion leaders. By engaging them in education and prevention efforts, we can make meaningful strides toward ending FGM,” she said.

There is already progress in some areas. In Burkina Faso, the prevalence of FGM among girls aged between 15 and 19 has been reduced by half in the last three decades. Likewise, major declines have been seen in Ethiopia and Sierra Leone, where political will and rigorous enforcement of prohibitions were key to the decline.

However, the WHO is adamant that international measures need to continue unabated. Ensuring that medical practitioners resoundingly reject all participation in FGM is important to breaking the myth that it is medically acceptable. As a healthcare provider who had undergone WHO training explained, "I can now talk to women about the harms of FGM and help them understand the long-term consequences."

While the challenge is great, the WHO asserts that FGM can be stopped — but only if governments, health systems, and communities come together in a common effort to save future generations of women and girls.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)