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A new step into manufacturing for Simulaids

FGM identification trainer

FGM CareAware, a product designed to aid detection of Female Genital Mutilation, is now available to buy on our website.

For almost 25 years Simulaids have been a distributor of high quality clinical simulation products from around the world. But now, for the first time, we’ve brought our very own innovative product to the market – a set of identification models to help clinical professionals identify and diagnose Female Genital Mutilation.

What is FGM?

FGM is the practice of ‘cutting’ the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, usually carried out during childhood. It is practiced in around 30 countries, mainly in Africa, affects over 200 million people worldwide, and according to our government around 60,000 girls under 15 in the UK are estimated to be at risk.

FGM can lead to infection, long term medical complications and severe pain, but according to the British Medical Journal (BMJ) health professionals worldwide lack knowledge to diagnose and treat those affected.

The birth of a new product

The new product came about during a conversation with a leading British Medical School during the ASPiH medical simulation conference in Brighton in 2023, and since then we’ve been consulting with the University to develop the product. Experts in the field had complained that there was a lack of any physical training model on the market for helping identify FGM, and that students and professionals had been relying on class teaching with diagrams and pictures.

Manufactured by CliniSim, a brand of Simulaids Ltd, FGM Care Aware is a hyper-realistic reproduction of the female pubic area, hand-painted and made in Britain. The models are sold in sets of five, representing the World Health Organisation’s four different classifications of FGM, plus a model of an unmanipulated pubic area for reference:

  • Type 1 (clitoridectomy) – removing part or all of the clitoris
  • Type 2 (excision) – removing part or all of the clitoris and the inner labia (the lips that surround the vagina), with or without removal of the labia majora (the larger outer lips)
  • Type 3 (infibulation) – narrowing the vaginal opening by creating a seal, formed by cutting and repositioning the labia
  • Type 4 – other harmful procedures to the female genitals, including pricking, piercing, cutting, scraping or burning the area

Bradley Lawrence, Chief Operating Officer for Simulaids, said:

“We’re very proud to bring this new product to the market and feel the identification trainers will equip clinical professionals to more confidently diagnose the different types of FGM and choose the right path of care for those affected.

“So many times we’ve been told there’s a lack of teaching and understanding around Female Genital Mutilation in the UK and beyond and we believe our new product could really help that to change.”

Find out more about FGM CareAware and buy online.

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