News / National
Baby born with both male and female organs to undergo surgery
03 Apr 2012 at 07:23hrs | Views
A Mutare baby was born with a rare condition of having both male and female organs and is set to undergo surgery to correct the anomaly. The child who is now one-year-eight month old was first believed to be a girl until recently when popular Mutare doctor, Mr Kitcat, diagnosed that he is a boy and should undergo corrective surgery.
The child, who was initially named Brenda, but later changed to Brendon after the doctor's diagnosis is supposed to be operated on 11 April, 2012. Although Brendon was born with a female organ opening, he has since developed a scrotum underneath the female organ. The total cos of the operation, which is to be done at Mutare Provincial Hospital is $700, but the Maengamhuru family is struggling to raise the money. $600 is for the operation while $100 is for the deposit.
Brendon's mother, Mrs Rebecca Maengamhuru said everyone thought her baby was a girl, but nine days later they discovered that he had both organs.
"We were so shocked. Brendon is our third born. So many things flooded our minds and we can not rule out foulplay. We thought it was witchcraft at its best since there were some family problems between us and other relatives. The child was just the talk of the family and the neighbourhood. My husband and I remained focused and decided to seek medical solutions. That is when the doctor allayed our fears that our baby is bewitched, he then recommended an operation. We started raising money for the operation, but tragedy struck when my husband was recently hit by a kombi and fractured his leg. We had to channel the little resources that we had towards his treatment," said Brendon's mother.
Brendon's father confirmed their baby's anomaly, and also the injury he incurred recently after being hit by a kombi. He said they are now appealing to well-wishers to assist them in any way so that they could get their child operated. Their contact details are 0774 590 943 or 0778 023 941.
A public health specialist and Zimbabwe Medical Doctors Association's Manicaland chairman, Dr Mutsa Mhangara, said Brendon's case is referred as Ambiguous Genitalia. This is a rare condition in which an infact's external genitals don't appear to be clearly either male or female.
The child, who was initially named Brenda, but later changed to Brendon after the doctor's diagnosis is supposed to be operated on 11 April, 2012. Although Brendon was born with a female organ opening, he has since developed a scrotum underneath the female organ. The total cos of the operation, which is to be done at Mutare Provincial Hospital is $700, but the Maengamhuru family is struggling to raise the money. $600 is for the operation while $100 is for the deposit.
Brendon's mother, Mrs Rebecca Maengamhuru said everyone thought her baby was a girl, but nine days later they discovered that he had both organs.
"We were so shocked. Brendon is our third born. So many things flooded our minds and we can not rule out foulplay. We thought it was witchcraft at its best since there were some family problems between us and other relatives. The child was just the talk of the family and the neighbourhood. My husband and I remained focused and decided to seek medical solutions. That is when the doctor allayed our fears that our baby is bewitched, he then recommended an operation. We started raising money for the operation, but tragedy struck when my husband was recently hit by a kombi and fractured his leg. We had to channel the little resources that we had towards his treatment," said Brendon's mother.
Brendon's father confirmed their baby's anomaly, and also the injury he incurred recently after being hit by a kombi. He said they are now appealing to well-wishers to assist them in any way so that they could get their child operated. Their contact details are 0774 590 943 or 0778 023 941.
A public health specialist and Zimbabwe Medical Doctors Association's Manicaland chairman, Dr Mutsa Mhangara, said Brendon's case is referred as Ambiguous Genitalia. This is a rare condition in which an infact's external genitals don't appear to be clearly either male or female.
Source - metro
