Ministry confirms third botched circumcision

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Health ( MOH) has confirmed another case of a boy who sustained complications following a circumcision procedure as reported recently in various printed and electronic media.

Health director- general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah in a statement here yesterday said this latest case involved a 10-year- old boy who was circumcised in a mass circumcision ceremony at a surau near his home on Nov 25, 2016.

The boy was brought to the Emergency Department at the Selayang Hospital two days later after the parents were advised to bring the boy to seek treatment, he said.

He said the parents had noticed bleeding from the circumcision wound with urine } being passed from a coronal fistula on the distal penile shaft (urine was flowing from a false opening at the lower part of his penis) due to an injury to the urethra.

According to him, upon examination at the Emergency Department of Selayang Hospital, it was noted that there was no active bleeding in the penis as reported in the media.

The parents were informed by the Consultant Paediatric Urologist that surgical treatment should preferably take place after the swelling subsided and the vascularity to the glans penis improved, he added.

The corona fistula, he noted, would then be repaired through surgery once the surrounding tissues had healed.

Dr Noor Hisham said the boy was reviewed three times a day while in the ward at Selayang Hospital but the parents subsequently decided to seek a second opinion from a private hospital specialist, and opted for an ‘at own risk (AOR)’ discharge from the hospital.

“The Selayang Hospital had provided the parents with a memo outlining the clinical condition of the boy to the hospital concerned.

“They had also informed the parents that the boy could return for follow- up consultations at Selayang Hospital at any time.

“The MOH is currently conducting a further investigation of this case.

“As previously mentioned, although circumcision is considered as a minor procedure, the complications that may arise can be severe and devastating for the patient,” he said.

The MOH reminded all health practitioners that they are responsible to ensure that they have the necessary competency and sufficient experience to perform any circumcision procedures, and that they are liable for any complications that may occur.

Last month there were two cases of botched circumcisions in the country.

The first involved a 10-yearold boy but his severed penis was able to be reattached at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

However, in the second case involving a nine-year- old boy, he was not so lucky and has to live the rest of his life without a complete penis. — Bernama