Stakeholders Commit to Facilitate Obstetric Fistula Treatment through Community Mobilization
Statistics show that in Cameroon, there are 350 to 1500 new cases of Obstetric fistula a year. Though a majority of these cases are from the Far North Region, other endemic regions are found in the West and North West Regions of Cameroon. Despite these high numbers, only 40 cases are treated annually in the whole country.
These revelations were made by the Coordinator of the Socio Economic Empowerment of Females with Fistula (SEEFF) Project, Njodzeven Divine during a stakeholders meeting and a workshop for leaders of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) on March 4, 2022 at the Baptist Center Nkwen Bamenda. The meeting and workshop brought together close to 28 participants including CBO leaders, CBR Field workers, diagnostic and treatment staff, and media practitioners. The aim of the two-day meetings was to raise the awareness of these stakeholders on obstetric fistula and galvanize their support towards the successful implementation of the project.
For a period of 5 months, the SEEFF Project is expected to carry out activities that will result to the treatment of 20 women with obstetric fistula in the North West Region. The stakeholders were told they will play the significant role of influencing uptake of services by raising awareness and carrying out identifications and referral of women with obstetric fistula at their different levels.
It is for the above reason that the stakeholders were told that they have a significant role to play in influencing uptake of services by women with obstetric fistula by raising awareness, and identifying and referring cases of obstetric fistula for treatment.
In his welcome words to the stakeholders, the CBC Health Services Deputy Director in Charge of Clinical Affairs, Dr. Simon Manga said obstetric fistula is a condition which brings a lot of stigma and discrimination, rejection and suffering on the women with the condition.
The SEEFF Coordinator explained to participants at both the meeting and workshop that the physical cause of obstetric fistula is prolonged obstructed labour that can last several days. However, delays in accessing professional obstetric care to skilled obstetric care is greatly responsible for the prevalence of obstetric fistula cases in the communities.
With the COVID-19 pandemic and the socio-political crisis in the two English speaking parts of the country, women and girls are most affected with limited access to maternal and child birth care. The result is increased maternal morbidity and mortality with obstetric fistula likely being one of the outcomes, reason why the SEEFF Project was designed.
At the end of the sessions, the stakeholders and CBO leaders were given information and communication material to use for awareness raising in their communities.
The SEEFF Project is being implemented by the CBC Health Services in Bui, Ngoketunjia, Momo, Menchum and Donga and Mantung divisions of the North West Region and Ndian and Meme divisions of the Southwest Region. The project is involved in prevention through awareness raising and treatment. Treatment is provided at the Nkwen and Mbingo Baptist Hospitals.
Identified cases are diagnosed and confirmed in District Hospital Nkambe, Ndu Baptist Health Center, Banso Baptist Hospital, St. Elisabeth General Hospital, Shisong, Njikikem Baptist Health Center, District Hospital Ndop, Finkwi Baptist Health Center, District Hospital Mbengwi, Ashong Baptist Health Center, District Hospital Wum, Kumba Baptist Health Center, Ekondotiti Baptist Health Center, District Hospital Mundemba, and Mary Health of Africa General Hospital, Fontem.