Africa-Press – Zambia. Both Traditional healers and medical doctors have condemned the introduction of foreign substances in the female genitalia unless it is intended to treat the infection.
President of the Traditional Practitioners Association of Zambia, Rodwell Vongo says that just like conventional drugs, inserting herbs in the vagina should only be used to treat infection.
Dr Vongo noted in an interview with ZANIS, that women expose themselves to infection by inserting herbs to sweeten or tighten the vagina. “We recommend drugs that should be taken orally to sweeten or tighten the private parts, or indeed to make it warm,” he said.
He stated that times when traditional healers used to give herbs to insert for sweetening and tightening are gone as introducing foreign matters in the vagina now poses a risk of life-threatening diseases.
“We totally agree with the paramedics who say women should not insert herbs down there, times have changed and there are so many diseases now. Women risk developing cancer of the cervix,” he said.
And Ministry of Health Assistant Director for Reproductive Health, Angel Mwiche advised women against listening to advice on social media unless it is proven by research.
In reference to a social media video that has gone viral where a lady is seen advising women to use Savlon antiseptic liquid to clean the vagina, Dr. Mwiche told ZANIS that the vagina is created in such a way that there should be bacteria at all times and that the antiseptic liquid is likely to kill the bacteria.
“The pH of the vagina should be acidic and by design, that tends to kill bacteria that is not supposed to be living in the vagina, but if someone uses Savlon, they will be killing a substance that produces the acid and this will expose the vagina to other bacteria,” he said.
He stated that a smelly vagina comes as a result of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and that people should not insert any substance to improve the smell.
“Anyone who experiences a bad smell should seek medical treatment,” he said. He stated that people can avoid STs by sticking to a single sexual partner because they collect different bacteria by having many sexual partners.
“Health practitioners examine the problem and treat patients’ in-line with the findings. You could be treating something which is not even there when you use savlon,” he said. A video has gone viral on social media where a lady is advising women to use Savlon antiseptic liquid to keep the vaginal clean and appealing
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