Bringing Hope to New Mothers in Ethiopia
Women’s issues are always close to my heart. I first learned about the issue of Obstetric Fistula after reading the book “The Hospital by the River” by Dr Catherine Hamlin – I was very moved.
I then researched the condition and the debilitating effects of Obstetric Fistula, the most devastating of childbirth injuries, most prevalent in developing countries. The fistula usually develops as a result of prolonged labor and when a cesarean section cannot be accessed. Over the course of the three to five days of labor, the unborn child presses against the mother’s birth canal very tightly, cutting off blood flow to the surrounding tissues between the vagina and the rectum and between the vagina and the bladder, causing the tissues to disintegrate.
The result can be stillborn babies, urinary and faecal incontinence, repeated infections, severe ulcerations and disability or paralysis of the lower limbs due to nerve damage. Poverty, malnutrition, lack of education, early marriage and childbirth, the status of Women in developing countries, harmful traditional practices, sexual violence and lack of quality or accessible maternal healthcare are all contributing factors.
The thing that upsets me most is the humiliation and rejection Women in developing countries with obstetric fistula experience from their husbands, families and their community as a result of the side effects of this condition left untreated and unrepaired. Sometimes it is seen as divine punishment or a curse for being disrespectful or for suspected sexual misconduct. The pain and paralysis can mean the Woman can no longer perform household and child raising duties or be sexually active. They then are seen to have no worth. The stench from the incontinence often causes them to be thrown out of their households and communities causing them to be socially isolated and medically at risk. The loneliness, rejection and shame are debilitating. Only 7.5 % of Women in developing countries can access treatment. I was scandalised when I researched these facts.
Light and Hope…
I came across the work of Drs Reginald and Catherine Hamlin through the book I read and then further researched their work.They are both obstetrician/gynaecologists and in 1974 established the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia to provide surgery and care for women suffering from obstetric fistulas. The hospital provides free fistula repair surgery to approximately 2,500 women every year and cares for 50 long‐term patients.
I had the pleasure of visiting the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia in November 2011. It is the only hospital of its kind in the world dedicated exclusively to women with obstetric fistula. Patients undergo surgical repair by Ethiopian and expatriate surgeons trained at the hospital’s main facility in Addis Ababa. Around 93% of these patients are repaired successfully and to date they have now repaired 30,000 Women.
Dr. Hamlin has opened three new hospitals in the Ethiopian cities of Bahir Dar, Mekele and Yirgalem. She plans to open 2 more hospitals and continue to be a global centre of expertise and training in fistula repair.
How I got involved
My work with the Hamlin Fistula organisation has involved running fundraising events and activities to raise awareness of the great work Dr Catherine Hamlin and the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia provides.
One of the most memorable events I hosted was a special movie evening at the Regal Cinema at Graceville airing the Emmy Award Winning 2007 Documentary Film “A Walk to Beautiful” (distributed by Engel Entertainment ) about women who suffer from childbirth injuries in Ethiopia. It was a wonderful story of hope, courage and transformation that I had the opportunity to share with all the ladies who attended.
What can you do?
There are lots of ways to get involved with this issue. Start with researching the condition on Wikipedia and also visit the fast facts page on Hamlin International’s website
Consider directly donating OR buy the “A Walk To Beautiful” DVD and host a fund raising ‘Girl’s Night In’ to share some tears and to collectively ‘did deep’ to raise funds for the Hospital. This cause could also be a great school fundraising assignment to raise awareness among young Women….there are many ways to educate others about this issue and directly help out.