Access Bank Ghana PLC has renewed its partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to strengthen efforts to eliminate obstetric fistula and restore hope and dignity to affected women across the country.
The renewed agreement, signed at a ceremony at the bank’s head office in Accra, extended a collaboration that began in 2018 and had been renewed every three years to support corrective surgeries, awareness creation, and advocacy against obstetric fistula.
Institutions supporting the initiative include Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital and the Casing Group.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director for Retail and SME Banking at Access Bank Ghana PLC, Eugene Ocansey, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to improving the lives of women affected by the childbirth-related condition.
He said the agreement was not merely ceremonial, but it represented a firm promise to thousands of Ghanaian women and girls whose lives had been affected by obstetric fistula.
“Since 2018, we have driven the Fight Against Fistula campaign, working alongside surgeons, nurses, advocates and donors to restore women’s dignity,” he said.
Mr Ocansey said the bank had supported hospitals performing life-changing surgeries, backed advocacy efforts and helped survivors rebuild their lives through fundraising activities, awareness campaigns and strategic partnerships.
He explained that the initiative was inspired by Access Bank staff who sought to make a meaningful impact beyond banking by addressing a condition that is entirely preventable and, in most cases, treatable.
Commitment
Mr Ocansey said the bank had established a structured and transparent Fistula Trust Fund to ensure long-term sustainability of the initiative and inspire confidence among donors and partners.
He also highlighted the introduction of a digital donation platform through the Chango App, to enable Ghanaians to contribute towards fistula treatment.
According to him, more than 300 women had successfully undergone corrective surgery through the initiative since its inception.
The Deputy Representative of the UNFPA, Dr Emily Naphambo, commended Access Bank for renewing its commitment to the partnership and described the collaboration as critical to ending obstetric fistula in Ghana.
She said obstetric fistula is a childbirth-related injury that leaves women with continuous leakage of urine or faeces, often resulting in stigma, social isolation and loss of livelihoods.
Dr Naphambo said an estimated 700 to 1,200 women develop obstetric fistula annually in Ghana, while many others continue to live with the condition because they were unable to access treatment.
She stressed that neither UNFPA nor the government of Ghana could tackle the challenge alone, underscoring the importance of private sector support.
Dr Naphambo said the partnership aims to repair about 200 fistula cases annually, with a target of treating approximately 4,280 women by 2030.
She said it would also ensure fistula repair services became routinely available at health facilities rather than relying solely on periodic surgical camps.
