The United Kingdom (UK), in partnership with other key stakeholders, has built a Sh10 million Africa Coordinating Centre for the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (ACCAF) facility at the Nairagie Enkare area in Narok East Sub County.
Speaking when she inspected the facility that is built at the Nairagie Enkare Level Four hospital premises, Deputy British High Commissioner to Kenya Leigh Stubblefield assured that her government would continue partnering with the Kenyan government to offer the necessary health support to its citizens.
She observed that the facility was the first of its kind in the country and expressed confidence that it would help improve the health of women in Narok County, the majority of whom have undergone FGM.
“The big challenge is that many women have not been treated after they underwent the cut. Less than one-third of women who underwent FGM have undergone the necessary treatment. We also need to move faster to prevent the cuts,” she said.
The Deputy High Commissioner expressed the interest of her government in working with like-minded stakeholders to improve the livelihood of girls in pastoralist communities who have undergone FGM.
Narok County Executive Committee Member (CECM) in charge of Health Antony Namunguk conceded the fact that the Maa community has been practicing FGM for a long time and called on the community to embrace modernity and shun the outdated cultural practices.
He said the model facility built in the county would act as a rescue, educational, and research centre for matters related to FGM.
Allan Kipchumba, a medical student from Egerton University who had been trained through the ACCAF programme said the majority of complications that arose from FGM were medically related and included postpartum haemoglobin, tears, obstructed labour, foetal distress, and foetal demise.
He cited the need for all medical practitioners to be trained on FGM-related issues in order to prevent loss of lives and income to the community as a whole.
Another medical student who had been trained, Ms. Caren Karia, said the programme had given them a platform to interact with the community members and give health services to those in need.
“We have been on the ground and have seen FGM in real time. We have interacted with the community members and offered them free health services as we help them eradicate FGM,” she reiterated.
ACCAF was established in 2012 with the aim of strengthening the capacity for the abandonment of FGM in Africa and beyond within one generation.
To achieve its objective, ACCAF provides a multi-disciplinary approach to champion efforts and address the gaps in the abandonment of FGM.
Among the strategies used is to support networking and knowledge exchange between researchers, health professionals, and community workers.
ACCAF also aims at improving healthcare for women and girls who have already undergone the cut.
The programme has seen 209 lecturers from universities and colleges trained on matters of FGM, who in turn have trained 3152 medical students.
Also trained are 30 nurses and 18 Community Health Promoters.
By Ann Salaton
