On the 23rd of May, during the commemoration of the International Day to End Fistula, the United Nation’s Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, called for an end of fistula within a generation.
In his statement, he pointed out that though great progress has been made on maternal and newborn health by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a stronger health system, and addressing development and human rights issues would put an end to obstetric fistula.
“Two million women and girls around the world continue to live with fistula, and there are between 50,000 and 100,000 new cases every year. At present rates, most will die without ever receiving treatment – a heartbreaking and unacceptable situation”, said Ban Ki-Moon.
An Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury that creates a hole (fistula) between the vagina and the bladder, or rectum. It occurs when a woman suffers a prolonged obstructed labour, without a timely medical intervention such as caesarean section. The pressure of the baby’s head against the mothers pelvic bone for prolonged periods, results in a reduced blood flow to the compressed tissues beneath, which then leads to the formation of holes. The woman is left incontinent, constantly leaking urine or faeces through the vagina.
There is a lot of suffering, shame, rejection and isolation associated with fistula, which is really sad considering the fact that this condition is preventable and treatable. Still, it continues to be very common in poor communities where women do not have access to quality maternal health services.
“The theme of this year’s International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, “End fistula within a generation”, is a call to transform the world” , said Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the UNFPA Executive Director, “As we talk about ending polio, HIV/AIDS, female genital mutilation and so many other forms of suffering, so must we commit to stepping up our efforts to end fistula, once and for all. This means heeding the call of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind, especially those most neglected, invisible and powerless, including the women and girls living with fistula. Now is the time, and I am confident we can do it”, he added.
In his statement, Dr Osotimehin reiterated that ending fistula was a key priority of UNFPA, adding that efforts will be accelerated to ensure this. “We cannot give up until every woman and girl has the preventive care she needs. We cannot give up until every single woman and girl living with fistula has been treated. We cannot give up until every fistula survivor receives the social reintegration and support services she needs to rebuild her life, reclaim her dignity, and restore her hope and dreams for the future.
Image credit: VHenryArt/CC-BY-SA-4.0
