Kenneth Obieh
The Secretary, Primary Health Development Agency in Oshimili South Local Government Council, Dr. Kunu Phillet, has enjoined traditional and religious leaders to understand the dangers inherent in female genital mutilation (FGM) and support the various strategic efforts put in place by state government to stem it.
The secretary stated this when the State Advocacy Team (SAT) implementing the COVID-19 Response Mechanism and Resilient and Sustainable System for Health Strengthening and Community Strengthening System(C19RM/RSSH-CSS) visited her in Asaba.
Dr. Kunu thanked the team for accepting to carrying out the advocacy work and encouraged them to be more patient in the enlightenment campaign so as to effectively reach out to the appropriate individuals.
She revealed that female genital mutilation could only be properly eradicated, if religious and traditional leaders understood the dangers inherent in the practice and willing to fully support the campaign against it.
She stressed on the need for the group to visit mosques, churches, markets, festivals and other social gatherings and use the opportunities to sufficiently engaged and sensitise people on the negative effects of FGM.
She said that ” FGM has no health benefits, for a lot of the victims pass through severe pain, infections, infertility, prolonged bleeding and, sometimes, leads to death.”
The Chairman of the SAT team, Pastor Greg Sifo, thanked the secretary for the giant strides her office had taken so far in dealing with people with Tuberculosis, Malaria, HIV, among other emerging diseases like monkey pox and Lassa fever.
Sifo solicited for support through the provision of healthcare facilities in the various primary healthcare centres in the local government area to improve healthcare service delivery.
