Kisii: As the world prepares to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula on May 23, the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) has organized a free fistula camp to screen and treat women suffering from obstetric fistula. The camp, which runs until May 24, has been put together by KTRH in partnership with the Freedom from Fistula Foundation (F3), and the Flying Doctors Society of Africa (FDSA) among others to improve maternal health and restore the dignity of the affected women.
According to Kenya News Agency, KTRH’s Head of Clinical Services, Joyce Daniel, emphasized the need for better health policies that can help to prevent new cases of women with fistula. The Head of Clinical Services urged the women suffering from the condition to seek treatment and called upon the government to identify long-term solutions to maternal health challenges. “No woman should suffer in silence from obstetric fistula because it is a treatable condition,” said Ms. Daniel.
The services being offered at the camp include free screening and surgery, post-operative care, and counseling to help the women reintegrate into society. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obstetric fistula as an abnormal opening between a woman’s genital tract and her urinary tract or rectum.
According to WHO, about 50,000 to 100,000 women worldwide are affected by obstetric fistula, and the condition is one of the major causes of maternal mortality through obstructed labour. The organization estimates that more than 2 million young women live with untreated obstetric fistula in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Women suffering from obstetric fistula suffer from constant incontinence, shame, social isolation, and health-related complications.