In collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre, the Ministry of Health has officially launched Liberia’s National Fistula Program.
Obstetric fistula occurs as a consequence of arrested or obstructed birth deliveries without medical assistance.
Young women and those giving birth for the first time are the most prone to suffering from it.
Sexual assault can also cause this affliction, which carries a heavy social burden, as the vast majority of women who suffer from it are rejected by their husbands, families, and communities.
According to data provided by the UN, there are between two to three and a half million women living with obstetric fistula, mostly in Africa, and it is estimated that between 50,000 and 100,000 new cases appear every year.
The severe impact of this disease and the statistics that demonstrate it are at odds with society’s great lack of knowledge about it.
To address this, the launch against fistula was under the theme “Strengthening Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment.” The event took place on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
The National Fistula Program, which is headed by the Ministry of Health, has been providing medical and financial assistance to individuals affected by obstetric fistula since 2011.
During the event, the Ministry of Health, through Phebe Hospital, gave a brief presentation on medical support to Fistula—Challenges and Prospects—and screened a documentary on the subject. In her address, the Minister of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Hon. Gbeme-Horace Kollie, emphasized the importance of the program for women and girls affected by obstetric fistula.
She underscored the need for universal health coverage that includes comprehensive reproductive, maternal, and newborn care. Minister Kollie noted that timely access to quality obstetric emergency services and trained professionals is crucial for saving lives.
The initiative is supported by the Government of Liberia and the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (CCDG), which has been instrumental in providing both medical and financial aid to those affected.
As part of the launch, ECOWAS presented a check for US$245,000 to the Ministry of Health through the Ministry of Gender to further support the program.
Obstetric fistula is a condition caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without access to timely, high-quality medical treatment.
It results in a hole between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, leaving women and girls incontinent, which often leads to chronic medical problems, depression, social isolation, and deepening poverty.
Ninety percent of pregnancies involving fistula end in stillbirth. Fistula is a serious condition where an abnormal connection forms between organs, often leading to problematic fluid flow between them.
In a February 19, 2018 post, it was estimated that more than 2 million young women lived with untreated obstetric fistula in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa in 2050.
By: Blesset D. Kpenkennie
