Since 2007, UNFPA has supported the country's first National Obstetric Fistula treatment facility at Malalai Maternity Hospital in Kabul. UNFPA has helped enhance the technical capacity of hospital staff to enable them to treat obstetric fistula patients and provided medical supplies and equipment. In 2010 MoPH with the assistance of UNFPA developed a national obstetric fistula curriculum. Doctors and nurses of MMH received regular training for the past 4 years. In partnership with the AFSOG and AMA midwives, female doctors and OBGYNs have been trained to diagnose and prevent obstetric fistula. During the last five years over 585 patients have been treated and rehabilitated.
Kabul, June 02, 2013- Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), Afghanistan Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (AFSOG), and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) came together at the Malalai Maternity Hospital to celebrate the first ever International Day to End Obstetric Fistula. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury which leads to both physical and social harm for the women suffering of the injury. Sadly, obstetric fistula is a uniquely eradicable maternal morbidity that has until recently not received sufficient attention in Afghanistan. Obstetric fistula arises most often as a complication of prolonged and/or obstructed labor and results in an opening (fistula) between the bladder and the vagina (vesico-vaginal fistula) or between the rectum and the vagina (recto-vaginal fistula). While obstetric fistula is preventable and treatable, once present, it has severe health and social consequences.
A global campaign to end fistula was launched by UNFPA in 2003. The Campaign is based on the three key strategies of prevention, treatment and social reintegration of survivors. Uniting more than 80 international partner agencies and hundreds more at national and community levels, the Campaign has tripled in size since its inception and is currently active in more than 50 countries in Africa, Asia, the Arab states and Latin America. The year 2013 also marks the 10th anniversary of the Campaign to End Fistula launched by UNFPA and its partners.
In 2010 UNFPA Afghanistan supported a survey of 3043 women of reproductive age (15-49 yrs) in six provinces of Afghanistan which showed that the prevalence of obstetric fistula was 4 cases per 1000 women in the reproductive age group (0.4%).
Dr Soraya Dalil, Minister of Public Health said "Fistula is not only health problem it has socio-economic and cultural dimensions. It affects poor and uneducated women. There is need to raise awareness on women's reproductive health and rights. Every pregnant woman should have access to skilled birth attendants during pregnancy and childbirth. The fistula prevention comes in the form of access to obstetric care, support from skilled birth attendants throughout pregnancy and delivery, providing access to family planning, promoting the practice of spacing between births, and supporting women in education and in postponing early marriage age. "
"A holistic and human rights-based approach is needed to tackle the root causes of obstetric fistula. Obstetric fistula will only be eliminated if women are able to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives" said Dr. Zessler, UNFPA Representative.
Since 2007, UNFPA has supported the country's first National Obstetric Fistula treatment facility at Malalai Maternity Hospital in Kabul. UNFPA has helped enhance the technical capacity of hospital staff to enable them to treat obstetric fistula patients and provided medical supplies and equipment. In 2010 MoPH with the assistance of UNFPA developed a national obstetric fistula curriculum. Doctors and nurses of MMH received regular training for the past 4 years. In partnership with the AFSOG and AMA midwives, female doctors and OBGYNs have been trained to diagnose and prevent obstetric fistula. During the last five years over 585 patients have been treated and rehabilitated.
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