Concerns raised over circumcisions by untrained practioners - after death of six-month old boy
Mohamed Abdisamad died at Hillingdon Hospital a few days after having the procedure
A coroner has raised concerns over circumcisions being carried out "without any prior training" after a six-month-old boy died days after undergoing a procedure.
Mohamed Abdisamad underwent a non-therapeutic male circumcision on February 12 2023, performed by a circumciser who had been recommended to his parents and requested by them to perform the procedure on their son, according to the West London Coroner's report.
The boy began showing symptoms of illness three to four days after the procedure and was taken to Hillingdon Hospital by ambulance on February 19 2023.
Mohamed went into cardiorespiratory arrest and was pronounced dead on the same day at 11.55pm.
A jury inquest which concluded on October 8 2025 found the medical cause of death to be an "invasive streptococcus pyogenes infection following male circumcision".
**_"In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken"_**
Assistant coroner Anton van Dellen wrote a prevention of future deaths report in which he called for action over the lack of safety and regulatory measures surrounding non-therapeutic male circumcisions.
"During the inquest, the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern," Dr van Dellen wrote in the report dated December 28 2025.
"In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.
"The matters of concern are as follows: any individual may conduct a non-therapeutic male circumcision without any prior training or any Continuing Professional Development (CDP).
"There is no system of external accreditation and/or registration for individuals who conduct a non-therapeutic male circumcision.
"There is no requirement for any record keeping for individuals who undergo a non-therapeutic male circumcision.
"There is no requirement for any infection control measures for a non-therapeutic male circumcision.
"There are no requirements for any aftercare for a non-therapeutic male circumcision (NTMC), including but not limited to dressing the wound, analgesia and/or worsening care advice."
The coroner also pointed to the lack of a system for obtaining consent prior to the procedure being carried out.
The report is being sent to the Department of Health and Social Care, and to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
They have 56 days from the date of the report being issued to respond, the coroner said.
Copies of the report are also being sent to Mohamed's mother and father, his maternal grandmother, his uncle, and the London Ambulance Service.