Koforidua: As part of the efforts to end Obstetric Fistula (OF) in Ghana, the Koforidua Regional Hospital in the Eastern Region has mobilised a surgical team to perform repairs for three out of the six patients originally booked.
According to Ghana News Agency, the effort is part of the activities to commemorate this year's International Day to End Obstetric Fistula (IDEOF), where some designated health facility sites are performing free repair surgeries from May 23rd to May 30th, for patients who have been pre-booked. Dr. Francis Wuobar, the Head of the Surgical Department, mentioned in an interview that unfortunately, the other three patients who had been prepared for the procedure failed to show up.
He stated that the hospital was committed to contributing its quota towards the reduction of the backlog of fistula cases in Ghana and encouraged the public to help find the hidden cases within their communities. Dr. Foster Amponsah-Manu, the Clinical Director, noted that although the facility did not have a resident fistula surgeon, it was prepared to collaborate with surgeons from other hospitals, thus building the facility's capability towards the treatment of obstetric fistula.
Ms. Gisela Sena Dzebu, the Surgical Block Matron and the Theatre in Charge at the facility, indicated the satisfaction of contributing to alleviating the plight of fistula survivors. She affirmed, "We are prepared to support fistula surgeries anytime, any day."
Obstetric fistula, a childbirth injury caused by prolonged obstructed labour, results in the creation of an abnormal hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, or both. Though preventable and treatable, the lack of access to quality maternal healthcare services such as emergency surgery often leaves many women and girls to suffer in silence, facing social stigma, shame, isolation, and discrimination, as well as worsening poverty due to job loss.
The condition leaves sufferers with chronic incontinence, and the stench of leaking urine, faeces, or both remains constant and humiliating, often driving patients' spouses, parents, friends, and neighbours away. If left untreated, fistula can lead to chronic medical problems including ulcerations, kidney diseases, and even nerve damage in the legs, leading to paralysis and even death from further complications.
The United Nations estimates that at least two million women live with fistula in developing countries, with 50,000 to 100,000 new cases occurring annually, representing only those seeking treatment. In Ghana, approximately 1,352 women per 751,205 deliveries develop fistula annually, with an incidence rate of 1.8 per 1,000 deliveries.
