Medic accused of genital mutilation
A doctor will go before medical watchdogs today accused of carrying out female genital mutilation on a patient.
Dr Sureshkumar Vallabhdas Pandya, who practises in London, is said to have undertook the procedure, sometimes called female circumcision, which has been outlawed in the UK for the past 28 years.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is carried out for cultural, religious and social reasons and some traditions believe it will reduce a woman's libido and discourage sexual activity before marriage.
It is prevalent in some Muslim countries where a high value is placed on a woman's chastity and modesty.
It has been estimated that more than 20,000 girls under 15 are at risk of FGM in the UK each year, and that 66,000 women in the UK have undergone the procedure. But the true extent is unknown due to the "hidden" nature of the crime.
No one has ever been prosecuted for FGM in the UK.
Dr Pandya, who will go before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service sitting in Manchester later today, is also alleged to have provided inadequate pre and post operative care and his advice to the patient was misleading and dishonest.
It is also alleged that Dr Pandya's record keeping did not meet the required standards.
