Veteran journalist Najma Ismail is pursuing action against an Eastleigh-based doctor who conducted a botched circumcision procedure on her two sons that left their health in danger.

In an interview with Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday, January 5, the soft-spoken media personality noted that her sons' troubles kicked off on December 8 when she approached the medical officer to conduct the procedure.

She noted that she spotted the first red flag within minutes of her visit to the facility when she observed that the surgery room lacked emergency equipment. 

"On December 8, we went to (a hospital) in Eastleigh. We were told that they do circumcision very well because we were very green. I took my two sons, one is 11 years old and the other one is eight years old.

Former KTN Presenter and seasoned journalist, Najma Ismail. FILE

"When we entered, there was something funny about the place they were to conduct the surgery. It didn't have the necessary equipment for emergencies," she told this reporter. 

Nonetheless, the surgery on the two boys was conducted but left the younger child in extreme pain that he barely slept that night.

"The first boy underwent the circumcision procedure and got the ring. He did not cry. The younger one was operated on but there was a problem, he bled excessively and I saw the doctor was panicking," she explained.

Her son's trouble then compelled her to seek a second opinion from another surgeon - this time, Dr Abdillahi Adan of Platinum Surgery Center in Hurlingham, Nairobi.

"The younger one was in so much pain the entire night and I called one of my doctors, Abdullahi Adan, and told me to take the child to him. We took him to Platinum Surgery Center and the doctor was very shocked and he was taken to surgery immediately," she added.

The first corrective surgery was conducted at Platinum Surgery Center the following day, December 9. Dr Adan noted that the initial procedure on the 8-year-old had been done unprofessionally leading to a collection of blood.

The experience had caused physical distress to the child and mental anguish to the parents. 

"Fortunately everything is okay now for the two boys. It is just the application of the ring that was not professionally done. The first case had what we call a collection of blood around the ring which was causing congestion and the child was not able to sleep and we had to do a normal surgical circumcision," Adan explained.

In the second case, the child was experiencing mild pain but the procedure was taking longer to heal than the anticipated 4-week duration.

In the subsequent surgery conducted on Wednesday, January 4, Adan found that the ring had been placed wrongly and was affecting the healing process.

"The second one, the ring did not come out because it had been applied poorly. We had to do another formal reconstruction and the two boys are expected to recover 100 per cent without any problem to their physiology or manhood. It is just that the parents went through mental trauma," he added,

Ismail vowed to lodge a complaint with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) 'because I do not want him to do that to another child. That is a very vital organ.'

Dr Adan on the other hand, challenged patients and their caregivers to conduct background research on all medics to ascertain their qualifications.  

"Parents and guardians should confirm that whoever is doing (the procedure) is qualified, capable, has knowledge and surgery. This is a very simple surgery. A child should be able to live a normal life four weeks later. 

"For any medical procedure, individuals should ask for the medics name, credentials, and license number and get their details from KMPDC," he concluded.

Verifying Doctor Qualifications

To ascertain a doctor's qualifications, individuals are advised to visit KMPDC website on to the 'Registers' section. Once on the 'Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists' Council Registers' page, head to the 'Registered Health Facilities' Registers' tab from where you can search the medics' credentials.

Enter their name or license number and the system will show credentials including full names of the facility, registration number of the practitioner, address, facility type, facility level, bed capacity, plot number, county
and license Number.

A cross section of Eastleigh neighbourhood in Nairobi.By Derrick Okumbasu, Kenyans.co.ke