The department of Health in Nyamira County has launched a spirited campaign to educate residents against subjecting the girl child to outlawed female genital mutilation.
The campaigns, which were launched at Nyabuya village by chief health officer Dr Douglas Bosire, will see five health officials and a counsellor deployed in all the 20 wards from the region.
Speaking during the launch on Sunday, Bosire warned residents against condoning the “primitive culture”, and called for appreciation of modern initiation methods of taking girls for social learning activities conducted every December by churches.
“It is wrong for our people to continue condoning the primitive culture. FGM is perilous to our girls and exposes them to unprecedented danger during child birth. I would like to urge all of you to work closely with the church to subject our children to better initiation methods,” he said.
He urged the provincial administration to work closely with the department of Health to bring to justice those who have continued executing the outdated practice.
“It will not be easy for health officials alone, that is why I urge the provincial administrators to be vigil and help arrest those who are not ready to embrace the new reality. We know December is around the corner and those doing it (FGM) in secrecy will not bow. We have to tell our people the consequences of this vice,” he added.
According to him, the campaign will reduce FGM practices drastically in the region.
“It has substantially reduced and I hope through the campaigns, we will see a great improvement. Our people are becoming enlightened and hope they will help us educate those who still want to drag us behind,” he said.