Tens of thousands of Irish people are anticipating being circumcised as part of their ‘Poo Month’ celebrations, however the painful procedure is illegal in Ireland and many cases go down as incontinent.
People who have had a circumcision in Ireland are important role models, both in the public, and to those around them who have questions or concerns about the procedure.
The International Foresighted Awareness Foundation (IFAF) is the group of doctors, gynaecologists and nurses dedicated to higher awareness of circumcision in Ireland. It organises and supports numerous awareness campaigns in Ireland, including one that was recently launched in Dublin.”Irish people who have accidentally been circumcised during hospital procedures can have an extremely painful and distressing event, therefore we offer ourselves as a good cause for awareness and for people to be aware of what is happening with their foreskin and how to treat it once they feel a little pain,” explained IFFF founder, Clare Dempsey.
Anyone living in Ireland with genital pain are asked to register to carry out a 25 minute survey about the operation. If they are unable to do this, pleural effusions can occur, in which the infection causes trouble with gynaecological and sexual health. These are usually less painful symptoms, with over 90% of these HERVs affecting boys. Whilst most men will not suffer from such symptoms, boys and young women can experience them.
On the day after this event, every year, Ireland sends out a national Gynaecological Screening Awareness Day to the wider community. These are tests that are carried out in hospitals in an effort to see who is infected and potentially infected.
The results of the newly launched tests from the IFFF will be published in the IFFF newsletter, Irish Times.