Medical expert Dr Thomas Ankamah has warned that the widespread, unprescribed use of enema syringes, locally known as 'bentua' by parents, particularly in African households, poses serious health risks to children, including potentially life-threatening injuries.
Speaking on the Health and Life with Dr Daly Show, Dr Ankamah called out the traditional practice, still common in many homes, where enemas are used to treat constipation or other symptoms without medical guidance.
“Parents should always be careful because in some instances, where you have a very young child and the parents squeeze an enema with force, it can rupture some rectal tissues in the child,” he cautioned.
He described the unsupervised use of enemas as one of the most harmful forms of self-medication, saying, “This is one of the biggest cancers killing our society.”
Dr Ankamah acknowledged the cultural roots of the practice. “Growing up, our parents used enemas, and it worked,” he said.
However, he warned that many of the herbal or traditional preparations used can have dangerous effects.
“Some could have an extremely purgative activity, which can lead to dehydration, so we should be a bit careful with that.”
Self-medication, including the use of leftover prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, and traditional remedies without medical consultation, remains common across many African communities.
But Dr. Ankamah emphasized that practices like enema administration require professional oversight, especially when used on children.
“In our environment, we consider all those factors, because healthcare may not be readily accessible, especially in rural environments,” he said. “There could be some leeway to those things, but generally with our practice, it’s not acceptable if it’s not done under the guidance of medical personnel.”
Show host Dr Anne Sansa Daly reinforced the message, urging parents not to reuse past prescriptions or treatments for recurring symptoms."
"Just because a doctor prescribed one medication for a condition doesn't mean it applies the next time,” she said, warning that persistent symptoms could point to underlying issues.
She added, "The medication is probably masking something bigger than what was seen earlier.
"This was your first time coming in, this was what we picked on, doesn't mean that that is what it is." If you keep experiencing the same thing over and over again, you should know better to walk in and see a doctor than repeating he same medication."
"Then you become dependent on it, and sometimes the medication doesn't even work the way it's supposed to because you've taken too much of it at a time."
Dr Ankamah concluded with a plea to parents: “Even though it works, it’s not as safe as we think it is to administer that.”
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