Harare: A 10 year-old Zimbabwean child is suffering from a rare condition ambiguous genitalia in which the minor has both female and male sex organs.
An ambiguous genitalia is not a disease but a disorder of sex development.
It primarily occurs when hormone abnormalities during pregnancy interrupt or disturb the fetus’s developing sex organs.
According to state media reports, the family of the child is seeking $2 500 for surgery to remove one of the sex organs.
“This is a rare condition but the doctors confirmed surgery could be performed locally,” Francis Mpala, the head of Department of Rehabilitation at Tsholotsho District Hospital is quoted saying.
“The child needs a total of $2 500 after tests to determine which organ should be removed to leave one so that the child functions normally”.
Complications of ambiguous genitalia may include infertility and increased risk of certain cancers.
