Uro-Genital malformations : 13 children undergo corrective surgeries

 

Thirteen children suffering from Uro-genital malformations have undergone corrective surgeries at the Yaounde Gynecological Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital .

The surgeries was performed by a Franco-Swiss Non-governmental organization, Children Action.

Launched on November 28, 2019, the surgeries were scheduled for Monday Dec 2 – 8 2019.

Eighty children suffering from congenital malformations went through the consultations, and 13 were retained.

It is the eleventh time the Franco-Swiss NGO has performed corrective surgeries in Cameroon, following a partnership agreement signed with the Public Health Ministry in 2009.

In 2019 alone, the team has been to Cameroon twice; in March and December.

The cost of the surgery has been subsidized.
Accordingly, each parent pays a symbolic sum of 50,000 for a surgery estimated at FCFA 800,000 .

Within 11years , the NGO has successfully performed surgeries for a total of 300 children previously suffering from congenital malformations.

But beyond the surgeries, the surgeons are also transferring know-how to Cameroonian medical experts.

Psycho-social support

A team of 6 psychologists systematically provide psychosocial support to the children suffering form congenital malformations, and their parents.

The Unit is headed by Mme Berthe Kamga , a nurse and Psychologist for Child Development.

She says psychological support.

” It is not easy for a woman to carry a pregnancy for nine months and give birth to a child with malformation . Some husbands send away their wives, in-laws maltreat and abandon her . People have to understand that it is the man who determines the sex of the child . After having a baby with a malformation, some women become scared of having babies . Our job is to counsel and educate such parents “.

Mme Kamga also explains some children have two sex glands , but their parents choose a gender without knowing the dominant gland . When the gender of these children is changed to the dominant sex gland during surgery , the psychologists have to educate and help parents and children to embrace the changes.

Uro-Genital Malformations

Medical experts say Uro-genial malformations occur in the urinary tract and reproductive tract systems.

Most of the operated suffer from one of the following congenital malformations described by , Dr. Acho Abongwa, medical doctor at the Minta District hospital .

Ovotestis

” A very rare genetic condition where in a person has both male and female sex glands , and can theoretically produce both sperms and eggs. A child with Ovotestis will have an abnormal genitalia, abnormal vagina , undescended testis, or cryptochism. When they reach adolescence , they are often sterile with under developed uteruses”.

As concern the causes, he explains that this rare disorder is chromosomal.

“At the time of conception, the chromosomes have abnormality or don’t merge properly. So they form a foetus with that abnormality,
also called congenital disorder”.

Hypaspodias

” The opening of the penis is found on the underside of the penis , not at the tip, with the penis bent downwards . Causes could be a genetic condition. It is frequent in children born premature or whose mums are older than 35 years , and are overweight. Children whose mums took hormonal therapy in order to conceive are also exposed to Hypaspodias”.

Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is a male child who has abnormally large breast tissues . This occurs due to hormonal imbalance. He has too little testosterone or too much oestrogen. Hormonal imbalance can be as a result of puberty , aging in older people or certain medication “.

A good report

Peter Nana suffered from Hypaspodias for 16 years, but has had a successful corrective surgery. His mum , Nana Mary is thankful that her son’s self esteem has been restored.

” My son was born with a bent penis, and has not been passing out urine normally. He always had to hide when passing out urine because, it splashes , and he ends up getting soiled. His friends made mockery of him, and that really affected him. But today, I’m grateful because the surgery has corrected the problem. My son will feel like his peers”.

Kathy Neba Sina

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