Six women suffering from obstetric fistula have successfully undergone free repair surgery at Baptist Hospital Mutengene during the latest phase of the ongoing fistula repair campaign organized under the partnership between the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services (CBCHS) and UNFPA, with funding support from ECHO.

The surgeries were carried out over the weekend by a specialized medical team led by Dr. Ngock George, bringing renewed hope to women who had lived for years with the devastating effects of untreated childbirth injuries. Some of the cases required more complex procedures, leading to the referral of four patients to Mbingo Baptist Hospital for further surgical management to ensure safe and complete treatment.

The campaign is being conducted in both Mbingo Baptist Hospital in the North-West Region and Baptist Hospital Mutengene in the South-West Region. This approach allows patients from different parts of the crisis-affected regions to access treatment more easily despite ongoing insecurity and transportation challenges.

The latest surgeries add to earlier successful repairs carried out late last year, and to more than sixteen cases that have already been treated at Mbingo Baptist Hospital since October 2025 under the same project, with beneficiaries reporting significant improvement in their health and social well-being.

Part of a Lifesaving SRH and GBV Response in Hard-to-Reach Communities

The fistula repair campaign is part of the project titled: Delivering Lifesaving Integrated and Holistic Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Services to Women and Girls in Hard-to-Reach Conflict-Affected Localities in the North-West and South-West Regions of Cameroon.

The project is implemented in CBCHS health facilities in Ndu, Finkwi, Ashong, Kumba, and Ekondo-Titi, where access to essential health services has been severely affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Under the 2025 UNFPA–CBCHS work plan, the initiative seeks to strengthen the delivery of SRH and GBV services to vulnerable populations by improving the capacity of health facilities, supporting skilled medical teams, and increasing community awareness on maternal health. The intervention has contributed to increased uptake of SRH services and efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths in underserved communities.

A Preventable Condition That Still Affects Women in Crisis Settings

Obstetric fistula is a severe childbirth injury caused mainly by prolonged obstructed labour without timely medical intervention. The condition creates an abnormal opening between the birth canal and nearby organs, resulting in continuous leakage of urine or feces.

Women living with fistula often suffer not only physically but also socially, as the condition may lead to stigma, isolation, marital separation, and loss of livelihood. In conflict-affected and remote communities, delays in reaching health facilities due to insecurity, poverty, and lack of skilled birth attendants increase the risk of such complications.

Factors such as early pregnancy, malnutrition, limited antenatal care, and poor access to emergency obstetric services continue to make women in low-resource settings particularly vulnerable, even though obstetric fistula is almost entirely preventable with quality maternal healthcare.

Restoring Health, Dignity, and Hope

Beyond surgery, the fistula repair campaign helps women regain their dignity and reintegrate into their families and communities. Successful treatment allows beneficiaries to resume normal social life, participate in economic activities, and rebuild their confidence after years of isolation.

Community sensitization activities carried out alongside the medical intervention help reduce stigma, encourage early health-seeking behavior, and promote safe motherhood practices, which are essential to preventing future cases.

Strong Partnership Supporting Vulnerable Women and Girls

The continued success of the fistula repair campaign highlights the importance of collaboration between CBCHS, UNFPA, and ECHO in delivering lifesaving Sexual and Reproductive Health services to women and girls living in hard-to-reach and conflict-affected areas.

Through this partnership, specialized care is being brought closer to vulnerable populations, ensuring that even in times of crisis, women can access the treatment they need to live healthy and dignified lives. For many beneficiaries, the surgery marks not only the end of years of suffering, but the beginning of a new life filled with hope.