Kinga Africa (Part II) – why we need research of Infant Oral Mutilation
By Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik. In the following a
second interview with Francis
Muthama of the organization Kinga Africa to
understand the importance of investigating the phenomenon of Infant Oral
Mutilation, and why Kenya needs a law against this practice. To read the first
part of our interview, click
here.
second interview with Francis
Muthama of the organization Kinga Africa to
understand the importance of investigating the phenomenon of Infant Oral
Mutilation, and why Kenya needs a law against this practice. To read the first
part of our interview, click
here.
IOM is a very severe human rights violation against
children. Almost
nobody talks about it. Why?
children. Almost
nobody talks about it. Why?
There are many traditions in
Africa that remain windily accepted until a voice rises against them just like
Female Genital Mutilation. I am that voice but my efforts are challenged a
great deal. The communities that practice IOM pass it over from generation to
generation and have accepted that it is a good practice that ‘saves children
from death’. It takes time effort and resources to end a bad tradition; and
that is what we are doing.
Africa that remain windily accepted until a voice rises against them just like
Female Genital Mutilation. I am that voice but my efforts are challenged a
great deal. The communities that practice IOM pass it over from generation to
generation and have accepted that it is a good practice that ‘saves children
from death’. It takes time effort and resources to end a bad tradition; and
that is what we are doing.
How is IOM justified by the communities who still
practice it?
practice it?
Let me give some background here;
normally around four to six months the children are crawling and building their
immunity. At this period also, they are susceptible to many infections
especially where hygiene is not observed. At the same time the teeth are about
to break the gum (erupt). The gum becomes itchy and swollen. This makes the
children to take any objects they come across, to the mouth to sooth the
itching. In the process they take in a lot of dirt and that contaminates their
system causing diarrhea, fever, vomiting and other symptoms. It is this timing
that made the communities related teething to the infections. They then figured
out that there are some ‘worms’ in the mouth that cause the illnesses and
developed a cure (IOM). The ‘science’ here is very simple; IOM causes the
children a lot of trauma, pain and injures their gum. Because of the pain and
the wound in the gum they stop putting dirty objects to the mouth. Once the
contaminated food is ejected from the body the diarrhea stops and body
temperatures normalize. This is when they say that IOM has worked to stop
diarrhea. In cases where the children refuse even to breastfeed after IOM, they
get overly dehydrated and die if treatment is not effected in time.
normally around four to six months the children are crawling and building their
immunity. At this period also, they are susceptible to many infections
especially where hygiene is not observed. At the same time the teeth are about
to break the gum (erupt). The gum becomes itchy and swollen. This makes the
children to take any objects they come across, to the mouth to sooth the
itching. In the process they take in a lot of dirt and that contaminates their
system causing diarrhea, fever, vomiting and other symptoms. It is this timing
that made the communities related teething to the infections. They then figured
out that there are some ‘worms’ in the mouth that cause the illnesses and
developed a cure (IOM). The ‘science’ here is very simple; IOM causes the
children a lot of trauma, pain and injures their gum. Because of the pain and
the wound in the gum they stop putting dirty objects to the mouth. Once the
contaminated food is ejected from the body the diarrhea stops and body
temperatures normalize. This is when they say that IOM has worked to stop
diarrhea. In cases where the children refuse even to breastfeed after IOM, they
get overly dehydrated and die if treatment is not effected in time.
It is also this dehydration that
makes them say that if they don’t remove the worms, their children die. You
know how severe diarrhea combined with vomiting is vital especially to
under-fives. Keeping a baby at home waiting for the day to take him/her to the
traditional healers, can cause death in the infant. This makes them the more
convinced that IOM helps.
makes them say that if they don’t remove the worms, their children die. You
know how severe diarrhea combined with vomiting is vital especially to
under-fives. Keeping a baby at home waiting for the day to take him/her to the
traditional healers, can cause death in the infant. This makes them the more
convinced that IOM helps.
We are using a few strategies
We are training community health
workers – who are individuals selected by the government from every village and
each in charge of 20 households. They normally are trained on HIV, hygiene,
sanitation and a few other issues but not oral health. Training them becomes
key in that they know when women are pregnant and when they may take their
children for IOM and they are better placed to talk to the mothers then. In
these trainings, we also involve traditional birth attendants and the oral
‘mutilators. The results have been enormous.
workers – who are individuals selected by the government from every village and
each in charge of 20 households. They normally are trained on HIV, hygiene,
sanitation and a few other issues but not oral health. Training them becomes
key in that they know when women are pregnant and when they may take their
children for IOM and they are better placed to talk to the mothers then. In
these trainings, we also involve traditional birth attendants and the oral
‘mutilators. The results have been enormous.
Teachers are most educated people
in most of the villages and people would listen to them a great deal. We also
organize trainings for teachers so that they pass the messages to the parents
in the schools and the children as well.
in most of the villages and people would listen to them a great deal. We also
organize trainings for teachers so that they pass the messages to the parents
in the schools and the children as well.
On a different front, we hold
community meetings where we discuss the issues around the myth.
community meetings where we discuss the issues around the myth.
If resources allowed, we could
also create awareness among high schools and colleges because the students are
the future mothers and fathers. We would also run TV and radio adverts against
IOM.
also create awareness among high schools and colleges because the students are
the future mothers and fathers. We would also run TV and radio adverts against
IOM.
Above all these, when we will have
the necessary data and resources we will table a bill in parliament to
criminize IOM.
the necessary data and resources we will table a bill in parliament to
criminize IOM.
Why is a research work so important for Kinga Africa?
As I have indicated above, we need
data to structure a bill in parliament to make IOM a crime and set some
penalties. Two, having the research reports will help me mobilize resources to
fight the myth. Writing proposals without data is always fruitless.
data to structure a bill in parliament to make IOM a crime and set some
penalties. Two, having the research reports will help me mobilize resources to
fight the myth. Writing proposals without data is always fruitless.
How will you investigate the phenomenon if you find a
voluntary doctor
ready to help you?
voluntary doctor
ready to help you?
I will be at the advice of the
doctor but I have some ideas; screening school children aged 3-7 years in
communities that practice IOM will tell a lot about IOM as most of them will
have missing canines or other indications. We can compare this with children
from other communities. Interviewing
mothers and health officials would help us get some data as well. More ideas
would come from the doctor. The research needs a lot of resources especially
funds to facilitate it.
doctor but I have some ideas; screening school children aged 3-7 years in
communities that practice IOM will tell a lot about IOM as most of them will
have missing canines or other indications. We can compare this with children
from other communities. Interviewing
mothers and health officials would help us get some data as well. More ideas
would come from the doctor. The research needs a lot of resources especially
funds to facilitate it.
Are the statistics about the phenomenon in your country
and in other
African countries?
and in other
African countries?
Yes, Dentaid came a cross IOM in
Uganda, its practice in Sudan, Ethiopia and many other African countries. You
realize that African countries may have more than one tribe/community with
different language and traditions, meaning that some communities will practice
IOM while others won’t. My plan is to reach out to the whole of Africa starting
from Kenya but resources have been so minimal or absent. Doing a tour to as
many countries as possible and gather data to inform the world about IOM. I am also not a doctor by training and I need
a committed doctor as a partner to help me in this fight and generally in oral
health promotion. Finding one has been an uphill task. I’m looking also for a
doctor to own Kinga Africa as a co-director so that we can take this project to
the next level.
Uganda, its practice in Sudan, Ethiopia and many other African countries. You
realize that African countries may have more than one tribe/community with
different language and traditions, meaning that some communities will practice
IOM while others won’t. My plan is to reach out to the whole of Africa starting
from Kenya but resources have been so minimal or absent. Doing a tour to as
many countries as possible and gather data to inform the world about IOM. I am also not a doctor by training and I need
a committed doctor as a partner to help me in this fight and generally in oral
health promotion. Finding one has been an uphill task. I’m looking also for a
doctor to own Kinga Africa as a co-director so that we can take this project to
the next level.
I hope that this helps. And that
we can join hands to fight this monster!!
we can join hands to fight this monster!!
