Ministry provides free obstetric fistula repairs for 100 women
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is funding the surgical repair of obstetric fistula for 100 women in the Northern Region.
Advertisement
The medical procedure, which is being supported with funds from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), will be rolled out during the course of the year.
The sector minister, Nana Oye Lithur, who made this known, expressed her gratitude to the UNFPA for its support.
She said this when she interacted with a former sufferer of obstetric fistula, Ms Fati Yahaya, who had called on her at her office in Accra.
The minister said aside from the repairs, the Department of Women was also spearheading the re-integration of the women whose fistula had been repaired back into society.
Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious injuries of childbearing. It is a condition in which a hole is created between the birth canal and the urinary bladder and/or the rectum as a result of prolonged obstructed labour due to untimely and inadequate medical care.
This condition leads to incontinence and the sufferers are stigmatised because of the odour resulting from uncontrolled leaking of urine or faeces.
Ms Yahaya, 45, said she lived with her condition for three years before it was repaired, adding that she had now embarked on a crusade to get as many sufferers as possible to go for the surgical repair.
By Rosemary Ardayfio
Writer’s E-mail: [email protected]