For the Secretary of State for Health, the increase in the number of registered cases reflects the success of the project that aims to train health professionals to diagnose these situations.

In 2019, 1176 health and education professionals were trained in this area under the “Healthy Practices” project, developed in five groups of health centres in the Metropolitan Area of ??Lisbon, in the areas with the highest population at risk (Almada-Seixal, Amadora, Arco Ribeirinho, Loures-Odivelas and Sintra).

Speaking to Lusa agency, the Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, Rosa Monteiro, who was also present at the presentation, referred that the 68 training actions carried out showed that professionals were often unable to diagnose cases of mutilation.

"There was a greater number of records on the health data platform, it means that there is more identification and signalling of cases, and this reflects a greater training of health professionals to identify what are the consequences of a mutilation", considered Rosa Monteiro.

The objective, according to António Sales, is to expand the project to more areas and by 2020 five more groups of health centres will be included: Cascais, Tagus Estuary, Central Lisbon, Western Lisbon and Oeiras, and Lisbon North.

In addition to health professionals, this project has been concerned with training in other sectors, including teachers and educators for the prevention of this crime.

According to the Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, these professionals are essential in the early detection of risk situations and António Sales added that the school is the “space par excellence” for the promotion and awareness of these issues.

The project was launched in 2018 and is coordinated in partnership by the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality, the Regional Health Administration of Lisbon and the Tagus Valley and the High Commission for Migration.