A nonprofit organization, Action Health Incorporated has trained Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) and auxiliary nurses in Osun State on elimination of Female Genital Mutilation practice in the state.
As part of the move to end FGM practice in the state, TBAs and auxiliary nurses drawn from Ilesa-West, Irepodun and Ede-South Local Government Areas were sensitised on the dangers of the act.
AHI organised the training in collaboration with Osun state Ministries of Health and Ministry of Women Affairs with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
AHI Program Officer, Arinola Alabi, said the capacity building training was as part of the effort to end medicalization of FGM in Osun state.
He said the training has boosted the capacity of TBAs and auxiliary nurses on the operationalization of FGM referral pathway at community level. She said that this will help in the reduction of FGM practice by any category of health care provider.
In her presentation, the Reproductive Health Coordinator at the state Ministry of Health, Toyin Adelowokan highlighted the negative implications of FGM practice and also dissected the issues around myths and misconceptions about FGM practice.
Adelowokan said the practice has no benefit to female children and that no basis for it in religion and tradition. She appealed to TBAs and auxiliary nurses to shun the practice.
Also, the Gender Desk Officer at the State Ministry of Women Affairs, Adewale said female FGM is a violation of rights of girls and women urged the TBA and auxiliary to stop the practise and to also inform others to shun the practice.
After the three-day training, the TBAs and auxiliary nurses in the state pledged to desist from Female Genital Mutilation practice because of its harmful consequences.
The TBA operators and the auxiliary nurses vowed that they would no longer indulge in the practice anymore and declared support for the campaign to end the practice in the state.