Medical environment protesting when the government suggested that circumcision of boys should be in hospital. From 1 January, the new law a fact.
But to introduce it has proved problematic. Health North would offer ritual circumcision at Nordland Hospital in Bodø and the University Hospital of North Norway in Tromsø – but none of urologists want to take the job.
Director, Health North, Geir Tollåli reluctant to impose doctors undertaking to perform circumcision. Photo: Adrian Dahl Johansen
– Officials at hospitals have had dialogue with the surgical environments and has given us clear feedback that this will be difficult to implement, without being given direct orders, says technical director in Health North, Geir Tollåli.
The new law allows for physicians may refuse to perform the procedure, but only if it does not thus leading to the health authority are left without this service. But Tollåli reluctant anyway to impose urologists to do it.
– It is quite unfortunate to force the stuff conscience issues, he said.
– Have no choice
Abdi Asis Bodo hope doctors in north turns.
In Norway, about 2,000 boys circumcised each year. Both Judaism and Islam requires, but it is mainly Muslims in Norway that gets performed circumcisions.
In the note Ministry sent out for consultation last year, it was emphasized that the procedure is significantly more common internationally than in Norway. Circumcision is for example the most common of all operations in the United States.
According to official statistics for 1996 was 60.2 percent of all men in all regions of the US are circumcised.
Bodo Væring Abdi Asis, originally from Somalia, says there is no alternative that boys grow up without being circumcised.
– We can not choose to be. All male children must be circumcised. It would be nice to have this opportunity as part of the public health, he says to NRK.
Asis hope doctors at Nordlandssykehuset change attitude to circumcision.
– It is important that it be done in safe conditions at a hospital, so the children are not sent out of the country or being circumcised by people who are not competent. It can have catastrophic consequences, he said.
– Conscientious Problems
Director Magne Dimmen in Norwegian urological association says his members will not perform circumcision for reasons of conscience.
According to Norwegian urological association is skepticism to ritual circumcision large among members.
– I know that very many colleagues have great conscience problems should perform circumcision. This is an unnecessary intervention that has no benefits for those concerned. These male children have no chance even to participate in the decision to do it or not, says director Magne Dimmen in Norwegian urological association.
Some hospitals have still got clear an offer, it comes St. Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim and Østfold Hospital. In Western Norway shall Helse Vest have a meeting on the matter today, Thursday.
– A human rights
The Chairman and Board Ervin Kohn in the Jewish community in Oslo glad the new law which came into force on 1 January.
– The law ensures our right to circumcise our baby boy. Circumcision is part of universal human rights and an important part of our religious practices. It only makes sense that not the right is recognized, he said.
The Chairman and Board Ervin Kohn in the Jewish community in Oslo.
He has no understanding of skepticism among Norwegian physicians.
– I understand that Norwegians think this is strange, because this is not common. But that doctors should put on their high horse and occupies an aunt Sophie attitude full of arrogance I realize whatsoever. Insubordination is actually a dismissal because according to the Working Environment Act, says Kohn.
– Over 30 percent of the earth’s male population is circumcised. Norwegians must open their eyes, and be a little less ethnocentric, he adds.
The Jewish minority has only around five circumcisions a year.
– The Muslim minority in Norway is much bigger and has a need that will now be covered in a good way through this law, says Kohn.
Now he thinks it is urgent to increase competence circumcision in the Norwegian health care system.
– My thought is that each region has a center with a specialist service to take care of this.
– Children are not heard in the vaccine question
The Jewish minority has only around five circumcisions year. Some of these happening at foreign hospitals.
Kohn emphasizes that neither Norwegian infants are heard, and compares circumcision with vaccination.
– Jewish boys should be circumcised on the eighth day. So young children are defenseless and dependent parents. When parents must take responsibility. It is the same with vaccines, parents do not wait until children are 16 years old, says Kohn NRK.
Contacted private clinics
Health Nord after they got the message from urologists, made contact with other hospitals and private clinics, without it helped.
– What we have done until now is to see if any private can deliver these services to us, and we also had a dialogue with the other health authorities in the country if we can refer these male children to other places in the country to carry out the procedure. So far we have not got solved the problem. I know that the same issues are relevant in the other health authorities, says technical director Geir Tollåli Northern Regional Health Authority.
There are several hospitals in northern Norway that urologists but Helse Nord has nevertheless determined that circumcision of boys should only happen in Bodø and Tromsø.
– The reason is that doctors here are used to add toddlers anesthesia. This is the young kids that we would have such a safe program around as possible.
Secretary Cecilie Brein-Karlsen (FRP) in Health and Care Services. Photo BJORN H Stuedal / stuedal.no
– Can it still be appropriate for some of the other hospitals are task?
– That we will look at, but basically these are the considerations that are taken.
Ministry awaiting
Secretary Cecilie Brein-Karlsen (FRP) in Ministry of Health says it will not be appropriate to order doctors to perform these procedures at first.
– How Health North gets offer of space, they must decide for themselves. Whether they do it yourself or buy service from private, being up to the health authority. Our expectation is that they get it right. The law should be followed for the sake of the kids, and I’m also aware that Health North working to get it in place, she says to NRK.
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