Egyptian girl dies before circumcision operation

08:38 a.m. Jun 21, 1997 Eastern

CAIRO, June 21 (Reuter) - Egyptian prosecutors issued a warrant on Saturday for the arrest of a Cairo doctor after an 11-year-old girl died under anaesthesia for a circumcision he was about to perform.

Amal Sayyed Bayyoumi went into a coma after receiving the anaesthetic in the doctor's clinic on Friday and died shortly afterwards, judicial sources said.

Her mother had taken her to the doctor, Abdelwahhab Mohamed Abdelwahhab, for the operation, which remains common for girls in Egypt despite the government's attempts to stamp it out.

Last year at least three Egyptian girls were reported to have died during circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation for the severe form it often takes.

The judicial sources said the doctor was wanted for questioning on possible manslaughter charges. The mother had agreed to pay the doctor 60 pounds ($18), they added.

$1 - 3.395 pounds


Cite as:
(File revised 15 May 2003)

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