BALIK PULAU: The Health Ministry will put in place standard operating procedures (SOP) for circumcisions carried out at all government and private hospitals soon.
The move follows a series of botched circumcision procedures which resulted in serious injuries to the young patients.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said there were three botched circumcision procedures recorded last year.
“As such, there is a need for us to introduce an SOP for medical officers carrying out the circumcision procedures.
“By right, this (botched circumcisions) should not be happening as it can result in serious damage to the young boys," he told newsmen here today.
Dr Hilmi was met after presenting RM200,000 to SJK (C) Yu Chye here for the repair of the school hall.
On Dec 15 last year, it was reported that a nine-year-old boy had his glans penis head) severed during a circumcision procedure which involved the use of a pair of scissors at a private clinic at Jalan Ipoh. He was later referred to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH), where the glans was reattached.
Five days later, a 10-year-old boy was referred to the same hospital, also after a botched circumcision using a diathermy, at a private clinic in Cheras. The reattachment procedure in this case was not as successful due to various complications.
Yesterday, the Health Ministry confirmed yet another botched circumcision case, this time occurring on Nov 25. A boy, also 10-years-old, had participated in a mass circumcision ceremony at a surau in KL.
His parents had brought him to the Selayang Hospital two days later after he did not stop bleeding from his wound, which was caused by an injury to the urethra.