Group to consider setting up national circumcision service

MEDICAL experts are to team up with Department of Justice officials and members of ethnic minorities to examine the provision of a national service for circumcision on non-medical grounds.

The Department of Health’s chief medical officer Dr Jim Kiely is to chair the group, which will examine all matters regarding circumcision. The group will also include representatives from health boards, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and ethnic-minority communities.

“The group will look at things like the need to have a standardised service, as well as when it is best to carry it [circumcision] out. They will look at international best practice and will try to come up with standardised guidelines,” a department spokesman said.

The move follows the death last week of 30-day-old Callis Osaghae.

The little boy, whose parents are Nigerian, died at Waterford Regional Hospital after a botched circumcision, which was carried out by a medically unqualified person in his home. Gardaí investigating Callis’s death have made no arrests in the 10-day-old investigation.

However, they said they are no longer focusing their search on a man described as white, with white hair.

They believe now that a member of the Nigerian community may have carried out the procedure.

Gardaí have stopped issuing their description of the man, who allegedly drove a red Volvo, and are keeping an open mind in relation to the investigation, according to Superintendent Mick McGarry.

“We are trying to identify parties nationwide who are involved in carrying out circumcisions.

“We are building up a dossier but have not spoken to any of them yet. We’re getting a fair amount of feedback and are making slow but steady progress,” he said.

Meanwhile, the little boy’s parents, 31-year-old Idehen Osaghae, and his 23-year-old wife, Mabel Osaghae, have gone away for a few days to try to come to terms with the tragic events of the past few weeks.