Monday, May 28, 2012

Operation tuli held


The VPHCS joined a series of operation tuli  launched this summer, as in previous years.

The VPHCS team of doctors and volunteers joined the annual operation tuli in the Municipality of Baclayon, Bohol on May 2  where more than 250 boys were circumcised.  The local government unit of Baclayon sponsored the tuli.    The VPHCS team which helped the staff of the Baclayon Rural Health Unit was composed of Dr. Grace Molina, Dr. Oliver Gimenez, Irish Ramirez, Edgar Gahisan, Emelie Fernandez, and Linda de Castro.   Nursing students of the Students’ Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) also helped in the services.

VPHCS staff Irish Ramirez  circumcises  a boy in Baclayon.

VPHCS staff Emelie Fernandez in Baclayon tuli.

VPHCS team of volunteers also joined another tuli in Poblacion Medellin, which was organized by the Perez Monasque Foundation.   More than 200 boys benefitted from the free circumcision held on May 5.

Mothers and their boys wait for their turn during the tuli in Medellin sponsored by the Perez Monasque Foundation on May 5, 2012.

VPHCS team and volunteers pose with members of the Perez Monasque Foundation during the tuli in Medellin on May 5.

VPHCS volunteers in the operation tuli in Medellin.

The VPHCS also lent its tuli instruments during  two free circumcisions organized by the local government units of Paknaan  and Labogon, Mandaue City on May 19 and 26, respectively.  The activities were held in coordination with the Cebu Institute of Medicine- Community Medico-Social Services (CIM-CMSS) in Paknaan.  Dr. Erlinda Posadas, staff of the VPHCS and also a faculty member of the CIM joined medical students and resident doctors of the medical school in rendering the circumcision services. More than 350 boys benefitted from the two occasions.

Medical students and doctors of the Cebu Institute of Medicine together with VPHCS staff Dr. Erlinda Posadas,  and Labogon barangay captain Damaso Tumulak and health center personnel in the tuli on May 26, 2012. 

3 comments:

  1. In some cultures uncircumcised men are said to be "dirty". Of course an uncircumcised man has to wash "down there" to be clean. And so do circumcised men. And women also. In some cultures uncircumcised boys are teased for being left intact. Are
    circumcised boys never teased, for any different reason? And what about women?

    Despite the fact that circumcision of young boys is still practiced in some cultures, about 80 percent of all men world-wide remain uncut for their whole life, including most men who live in South America, Western Europe, Russia, and China. Most of them are happy with their penisses being left naturally, and most of them never experience any problems with their uncircumcised penisses. Assuming that this is sufficient evidence that circumcision is not a general need or requirement for a healthy and happy life, how can we justify routinal circumcision?

    If a boy agrees to become circumcised in terms of tuli, do you think that he really wants to get his genitals modified? Or doesn't he just stand the fear, pain and discomfort in order to belong to the majority of boys around him having this in common, so he won't be treated as an outsider? Please mind that this is a crucial difference in motivation. But it is neither a reason nor an excuse for routinal infant circumcision.

    Infant circumcision has also been a very common practice in the USA until the end of the last century. Since then, US circumcision rates are decreasing year by year. Do you know why?

    The fact that a man, who has been circumcised as a boy, doesn't miss his foreskin does not mean that he would not miss it if he had had the chance to explore its real function and resulting feelings.

    Summarising it from an unemotional perspective, tuli refers to nothing but the unnecessary amputation of a nerved (hence sensitive) and blood-supplied part of the genitals of a human being who can't really understand the consequences of what is done due to his minor age. Doesn't this match the definition of genital mutilation of a child? If you don't think so, what is exactly the difference?

    Don't just believe me or anyone else. Inform yourself.

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  2. Big thanks to the young women who helped with my son! We are BOTH very pleased! You made him a man!

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  3. I spent some years in the Phillipines and noticed that many of the women were trained from a very young age to assist and learn to perform the procedure and had no formal training. This is common in certain areas. Some of the young girls are quite skilled.

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