Commenting on recent reports of botched circumcisions, MMA President John Chew said doctors had a duty not only to exercise care in conducting the procedure but also to advise patients of the risks involved before asking for their consent.

Speaking to FMT, he said circumcision was a simple procedure for a trained Malaysian doctor to perform.

In the past month, there have been three reports of circumcisions gone wrong. The latest report came yesterday from Segamat. The 10-year-old victim’s penis was said to have been severely damaged, making it necessary for him to use a catheter and a urine bag.

Chew said a doctor’s duty would include “making sure facilities are adequate and the procedure conducted safely” and “referring patients to tertiary centres for further treatment if complications arise.”

Asked whether he would extend his advice to traditional practitioners who conduct ritual circumcision, he said “they are not doctors, to my understanding” and therefore not registered with the MMA.

He said errors and complications in medicine did sometimes occur, adding that any form of compensation for victims were for the civil courts to decide.

Health Minister S Subramaniam recently said parents of victims of botched circumcisions should file civil suits for compensation.

He said his ministry could suspend the licences of medical practitioners if the Malaysian Medical Council found them to be negligent.

Last Dec 15, a nine-year-old boy had the tip of his penis severed in a circumcision at a private clinic in Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur.

Five days later, a 10-year-old boy also had his penis cut off during a laser procedure at a clinic in Taman Cheras Utama in Kuala Lumpur. The severed penis was successfully reattached.