Health authorities identified 223 cases of female genital mutilation in 2023, representing an increase of more than 17% compared to the previous year, with 15 cases already reported in the first 31 days of 2024.
According to the Directorate General of Health (DGS) sent to the Lusa agency, 15 cases were reported on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, which takes place on Tuesday, from January 1 to February 1. on female genital mutilation (FGM) on the Electronic Health Record platform.
In 2023, 223 cases were identified, which represents an increase of 17.3% compared to the 190 situations reported in 2022, which also represents a 27.4% increase in the number of cases compared to the same period.
In total, since 2014, health authorities have recorded 1,091 cases of FGM.
“The detection occurred in different areas: pregnancy monitoring consultations, childbirth, postpartum care, as well as during consultations and hospitalizations in inpatient and primary health care,” the State Health Service said in a statement about cases identified in 2023.
He adds that there were no identified cases of FGM performed in Portugal this year, and that identified cases occurred in Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Somalia, without specifying the exact number of cases per country .
He adds that more than half (50.7%) of the cases identified in hospitals and primary health care settings were type I (total or partial removal of the clitoris and/or foreskin), for a total of 113 cases.
There were also 96 cases of type II (43%) in which the clitoris and labia minora were completely or partially removed with or without excision of the labia majora, as well as 10 situations labeled as type III (4.5%). , in which the vaginal opening is narrowed by creating a sealing membrane with or without excision of the clitoris.
There were also four cases of type IV (1.8%), which included all other harmful interventions on the female genital organs for non-medical reasons, such as situations such as body piercing.
According to the DGS, “the country with the highest prevalence of FGM type III cases was Guinea-Bissau, with five cases.”
On the other hand, he adds that “the average age of practice was six years (median five years) and the average age of detection was 29.4 years.”
“Of the total number of records, 76 included psychological complications, 66 obstetric complications, 60 sexual response complications and 62 urogynecological consequences,” the GHS said, adding that each reported case could correspond to more than one complication at the same time. that in 108 out of 223 cases no complications were detected.
For the DGS, these entries “show the importance of continued investment in this area of activity” and highlight that, as part of the National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination 2018-2030 (ENIND), “measures and activities are planned that respect harmful traditional practices, including FGM on the female genital organs.”
He adds that in the health sector, the Healthy Practice Programme: Ending FGM will be expanded and consolidated, and a new postgraduate course on FGM will be introduced, targeting health professionals.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Tifany Hawkins, a professional journalist with years of experience in news reporting. I currently work for a prominent news website and write articles for 24NewsReporters as an author. My primary focus is on economy-related stories, though I am also experienced in several other areas of journalism.