Circumcision practitioners must be competent: Health DG

PETALING JAYA: Health practitioners should possess the necessary competency and have sufficient experience before performing any circumcision procedures, said Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.
Noor Hisham said that health practitioners involved with circumcision procedures were liable for any complications that may occur if they made a mistake while doing the job.
Noor Hisham latest statement on circumcision comes following the latest case of a botched procedure on Nov 25 last year.
"The Health Ministry is currently conducting a further investigation of this case," he said in a statement today.
"As previously mentioned, although circumcision is considered a minor procedure, the complications that may arise can be severe and devastating for the patient," he added.
In the latest case, the 10-year-old boy was circumcised by a health practitioner during a mass circumcision ceremony at a surau near his house.
"The boy was brought to the Emergency Department at the Selayang Hospital two days after the incident, after the parents were advised to bring the boy to seek treatment," Noor Hisham said.
He said the boy's parents had noticed the bleeding from the circumcision wound had not stopped and urine flowing due to an injury to the urethra.
He added the boy was reviewed three times a day while admitted at the Selayang Hospital.
"However, the parents subsequently decided to seek a second opinion from a private hospital specialist, and opted for an 'at own risk' discharge from the hospital," he said.
On Dec 15, a nine-year-old boy lost his penis after undergoing a botched circumcision surgery at a private clinic in Jalan Ipoh.
Another similar case on Dec 20 saw a 10-year-old boy had the head of his penis cut off as he was undergoing a laser circumcision at a clinic in Taman Cheras Utama.
Today, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said parents of victims of botched circumcision should file civil suits to get compensation.
He said the ministry could suspend the licenses of medical practitioners if they were found to be negligent by the Malaysian Medical Council.