Midwives Essential to Fistula Prevention, International Experts Emphasize

DAKAR, Senegal—Midwives play a leading role in efforts to prevent obstetric fistula, and governments must support them so they can attend all childbirths, help identify existing fistula cases and support referral for treatment of the devastating childbirth injury. This was emphasized by the largest gathering of fistula experts ever, the Third Annual Conference of the International Society of Obstetric Fistula Surgeons (ISOFS), which took place in Dakar this week, with support from UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

The more than 200 international participants highlighted the importance of community-based approaches to fistula activities, suggesting that governments should define harmonized regional strategies and include the issue as part of health schools curricula.“Health professionals should come to women,” not the other way around, according to the event’s final recommendations.

“We should promote more integrated fistula activities, including capacity building in areas like midwifery. That’s why ISOFS opened a special space for midwives in this year’s conference,” explained Dr. Serigne Gueye, a fistula expert from Senegal and one of the conference organizers. He also highlighted the encouraging results in fistula treatment communicated during the conference. “However,” he noted, “we still have great challenges related to how to address complex cases and improve data collection.”

Although there are no precise figures, it is estimated that at least 100,000 new fistula cases occur every year in the world. Caused by prolonged, obstructed labour unrelieved by a Caesarean section, obstetric fistula leaves women incontinent, ashamed and isolated. Factors, such as poverty, lack of education, weak health systems and insufficient quality of care, are among the main risk factors associated with the condition, as well as social and cultural drivers that hinder access to and the use of maternal health services in many developing countries.

To fight the problem, UNFPA and a wide range of partners launched the global Campaign to End Fistula in 2003, with the ultimate goal of making the condition as rare in developing countries as it is in the industrialized world. The Campaign, which started with 12 countries, is now present in 49 countries.

The conference officially opened earlier this week by the Minister of Health and Prevention of Senegal, Modou Diagne Fada, who also highlighted the importance of partnerships. According to ISOFS President, Dr. Kees Waaldijk, experts from all around the world have to come together to have a real impact on this terrible condition, which affects over two million women.

ISOFS included surgeons from 41 countries, 26 of which are African. The organizers commented on the importance of having the conference in a sub-Saharan country, considering that this a turning point in the efforts to end fistula, and that more than half the participants --all trained fistula experts-- are from developing countries.

According to UNFPA Senior Maternal Health Adviser, Dr. Luc De Bernis, this mobilization is important because the international community is working hard to improve access to and the quality of care in the area of fistula and maternal health in general, in line with international development goals. “We need more and well-trained surgeons and health professionals, especially midwives, if we want to improve access to fistula prevention and treatment," he said.

The coordinator of the global Campaign to End Fistula, Gillian Slinger, emphasized that prevention is key in the efforts to eliminate the condition, including not only the prevention of a first fistula but also that of subsequent fistulae when survivors get pregnant, following repair. “For this we need skilled professionals and scaled-up treatment services, always focusing on quality before quantity.”

Contact Information:

Etienne Franca
Media Specialist, Campaign to End Fistula
Tel:  + 221 77 479 0929, +1 203 898 5979
Email:  franca@unfpa.org

Hugues Kone
UNFPA Regional Communication Adviser
Tel; + 221 77 569 7623
Email:  kone@unfpa.org

Raby Tall
Communication Consultant
Tel: +221 77 645 4018
Email:  rtall@unfpa.org

 

Photos and b-roll material can be made available upon request.

About the Campaign to End Fistula

The global Campaign to End Fistula was initiated in 2003 by UNFPA and a wide range of partners with the goal of making obstetric fistula as rare in developing countries as it is in the industrialized world. Since then, the Campaign has brought fistula to the attention of the general public, policymakers, health officials and affected communities. More than $40 million has been mobilized from a variety of donors. The presence of the Campaign has grown tremendously since its inception, from 12 initial countries to 49 in 2010, most of which are now in the full implementation phase in Africa, Asia and the Arab region. Visit: www.endfistula.org

About UNFPA

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. Visit: www.unfpa.org