This doctor is offering 'Home Service Tuli' for teenagers amid pandemic

A doctor started a "Home Service Tuli" for adolescent boys as free circumcision operations are temporarily halted amid the pandemic.

In an episode of "Pinoy MD," Dr. Jamille Mabalo said that she came up with the initiative in the hope that it could help reduce the spread of the COVID-19.

"Instead of parents and kids going to clinics or hospitals, the doctor will just go to their homes for their safety now that we're in a pandemic," she said in Filipino.

She added that she finds this more practical than being exposed to other people and patients also won't have a hard time going home after the procedure.

Mabalo said she makes sure to keep herself protected from COVID-19 by taking a swab test every two weeks.

Upon arriving at her patient’s home and before doing the procedure, she immediately disinfects herself and puts on personal protective equipment (PPE).

One of her patients was 13-year-old Amiro Amat, whose circumcision has been postponed twice since 2019.

According to Amiro's mom, Yasmin Amat, she really wanted her son to get circumcised already so she tried looking for one online and succeeded.

Amiro, meanwhile, said that he prefers doing the circumcision at home because it's more comfortable and safe.

The procedure usually lasts 45 minutes and the area should be given much care afterwards to ensure that it heals properly.

According to urologist Dr. Romeo Romero, patients should always wear loose clothing and keep the affected area dry at all times.

Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin on a male’s penis. While there's no proof that it affects a teenager's growth, doing so has medical benefits.

"This is done medically to prevent urinary tract infection (UTI) or sexually transmitted diseases. It can also prevent penile cancer," Romero said.

Those who are not circumcised can be prone to having phimosis, a condition where the foreskin can't be retracted from around the tip of the penis.

"They're prone to infection because the urine and the smegma that glands secrete gets stuck inside," Romero said.

—Franchesca Viernes/MGP, GMA News