The countries of today marked the first International Obstetric Fistula Day, with a variety of awareness-raising events on this neglected health problem.
More than 2 million women and girls in developing countries have obstetric fistula, a disease that has been virtually eliminated in industrialised countries. Between 50,000 and 100,000 new cases are added every year, and only 10,000 women in the world have access to restorative surgery each year. In Madagascar, the number of new cases is estimated at 2,000.
Obstetric fistula is a hole in the vaginal wall that results from prolonged delivery without rapid medical intervention, usually a caesarean section. The effects are often devastating: the baby dies in most cases and the woman suffers from chronic incontinence. Unable to control the flow of urine or the excretion of fecal matter, she is often abandoned by her husband and her own family, or even banned from her community.
The report of the United Nations Secretary General dated 6 August 2012 and which is entitled "Supporting Efforts to End Obstetric Fistula" concluded that despite the progress made in the last two years, the fight against obstetric fistula requires more effort as well as increasing technical and financial support. On November 21, 2012, the members of the United Nations General Assembly met again under the slogan "Advancement of Women" to reaffirm commitment for this cause. On 23 May, the World Day for the Fight against Obstetric Fistula was chosen.
"The persistence of fistula is the result of a denial of fundamental rights and reflects a violation of these rights. It can be explained by chronic health inequalities and constraints on the health care system, as well as by more general problems such as gender inequality and socioeconomic inequality, children and early pregnancies, all of which are likely to ruin the lives of women and girls and prevent them from enjoying their human rights, " said UNFPA Representative in Madagascar, Mrs. Agathe Lawson.
In 2007, UNFPA continued to support women victims of this disease through advocacy with entities directly involved in the eradication of fistula. In June 2011, the first national campaign for the eradication of fistulas was organised by the Ministry of Public Health in partnership with UNFPA. During this campaign, 14 Malagasy surgeons were trained by international experts to repair obstetric fistula. However, today in Madagascar only ten health facilities have the capacity to operate obstetric fistula.
As a result of the first national campaign to eradicate obstetric fistula, the Ministry of Public Health and the NGO SALFA in partnership with UNFPA, operated 106 women with fistulas.
UNFPA's long-standing activities in meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 to reduce mortality and morbidity maternal care places the organisation in a privileged position to meet the challenge of obstetric fistula eradication. In addition, the disease affects virtually every aspect of UNFPA's mandate, including reproductive health rights, gender equality, empowerment of women and the reproductive health of adolescents.
Putting an end to the death and suffering of women and girls who are linked to pregnancy is not impossible. This disease would no longer exist in developing countries if every woman had access to reproductive health information and services such as family planning, antenatal care and the provision of trained health personnel for childbirth and emergency obstetric care. Together, we must commit ourselves to fighting and eliminating obstetric fistula!
