Boy (12) loses penis in botched circumcision

What started as a simple surgical procedure went horribly wrong for a 12-year-old Bulawayo boy after his penis was also cut off during circumcision.

The nightmare unfolded at the new Lobengula Circumcision Clinic on Thursday last week.

Sources at the clinic yesterday told Bulawayo24 News that the doctor was supposed to hold only the foreskin and cut it off; "But somehow nipped off the head of the penis as well. Although the boy was under local anaesthetic, he screamed as blood gushed out of his organ."

"On realising his gory mistake, the doctor arranged for an ambulance to rush the child to hospital as he battled to stem the copious bleeding," said a source.

The boy is admitted at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where the cut off organ has been sewn back on.

A source at UBH said while he was in stable condition, it was too early to know if his penis would be normal again.

His father, who identified himself as A Sibanda said he was devastated by the gruesome incident.

"This could be a one in a million case and I am crushed in spirit. We are waiting for a specialist doctor from Harare to look at him. We will then sit down as a family and decide on the next step," said Sibanda.

Population Services International (PSI) spokesperson Paidamoyo Magaya was unreachable for comment. PSI sponsors the circumcision drive in Zimbabwe. Removal of the foreskin is believed to reduce chances of one contracting HIV by as much as 60 percent.