Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious and tragic injuries that can occur during childbirth. It is a hole between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without treatment.
An estimated 2 million women in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Arab region, and Latin America and the Caribbean are living with this injury, and some 50,000 to 100,000 new cases develop worldwide each year.
In Uganda, the number of women suffering from fistula is 1% of the women in the reproductive age (75,00-100,000) and about 1,900 new cases are registered while 2000 cases require repairs per year .
Obstetric fistula is preventable; it can largely be avoided by:delaying the age of first pregnancy;
the cessation of harmful traditional practices; and
timely access to obstetric care.
As we commemorate International Day to End Obstetric Fistula 2019 tomorrow, Thursday, 23 May 2019 (at Nyarushanje Model Primary School-Rukungiri District), let us consolidate the efforts to eradicate its causes and rehabilitate its victims in Uganda.