KATH to offer surgery for hermaphrodites

Kumasi, Jan. 22, GNA - Urologists from the International Volunteers in Urology (IVU) of USA will arrive in Kumasi next week to join their counterparts at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to offer virtually free surgery for children with abnormal genital organs and other congenital malformations of the genitourinary tracts.

Children expected to benefit from operations, numbering 40, are those born with both male and female sex organs (hermaphrodites), penile hypospadia and hypertrophy of the clitoris among others.

Dr Ken E.K Aboah, an Urologist at the KATH, told the GNA in an interview that the IVU team would arrive in Kumasi on January 31 and would stay for eight days.

"KATH's collaboration with IVU is to make inter-sex and genitalia abnormality reconstructive surgeries accessible to needy children." He said one genitourinary tract reconstructive surgery could cost over five million cedis, an amount most parents could not afford. "But with our collaboration with partners like IVU, such surgeries can be provided for just a token fee", he said.

Dr Aboah said the IVU team would be coming to the country with medical supplies valued at about 40,000 dollars for this year's operations. "Such significant consignment of supplies will enable us to charge a token fee of just 300,000 cedis per patient for laboratory and other incidental expenses during the operation."

Dr Aboah said studies conducted at KATH pointed to hereditary factors, viral infections and herbal and self-medication during pregnancy as the major possible causes of children born with congenital malformation of the genitourinary tracts.

"We are delighted that IVU has agreed to visit the country for the second year running and it is hoped that together with those of us at KATH, we can bring some measure of relief to parents and their children born with such unfortunate congenital malformations", Dr Aboah said.