Monday 28 September 2015

Over 90 Women Seeks Fistula Treatment At Bwaila Camp


Over 90 women flock to Bwaila Fistula Care Centre in Lilongwe for Obstetric Fistula operation as Fistula Camp begins at the Hospital.



The Camp is expected to run for ten days. But Dr. Ennet Chipungu an Obstetrician and Gynecologist who is a Fistula Surgeon at Bwaila Fistula Care Centre says doctors are ready to do operations to all women.  


Chipungu says two experienced surgeons are in the country to operate on complicated cases of obstetric fistula which local surgeons like herself could not operate on.



The Surgeon has also revealed that during the first day of the camp on Sunday, doctors have screened a woman who has lived with the problem since 1984. She said the problem is huge in the country because the hospital is operating up to 50 women every month and is seeing repairing women who have lived with the problem for 40 years. 



“We have recently operated on woman who lived with the problem since 1971 and another who lived with the problem since 1960’s. This means there are a lot of women with the problem out there. And may be these women that are coming now did not know that it was possible to get treatment.” Said Dr. Chipungu



Meanwhile, the National Coordinator for Freedom from Fistula Foundation, Margaret Moyo said was happy with the response and expressed hope that this camp will definitely assist a lot of women in a short period of time.



“This is really an overwhelming response.” Said Moyo who also expressed readiness to receive more women



Moyo has encouraged women with the problem to come to the hospital at any time “Even after the camp, we will continue to do operations. We are a facility solely dedicated for obstetric fistula repair, so any time the woman walks in she is welcome.” 



She said the operations are being done at no cost and a fistula patient stays in the hospital depending on the complexity of the operation. But said two to three weeks is the minimum period for simple case.



“We want to encourage women, that fistula is repairable. And we urge everyone to pass this information. Please fish out women living with the problem. Encourage them to come to Bwaila Fistula Care Centre so that they don’t miss this opportunity” pleaded Moyo 



Obstetric Fistula is an abnormal connection between the bladder and or therectum and the vagina which result in the continuous leakage of urine and or feaces  through the vagina following obstructed labour.



The Camp has been organized with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – Malawi, Freedom from Fistula Foundation and Ministry of Health.

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