In 2003, UNFPA and its partners launched a global Campaign to End Fistula with the goal of making obstetric fistula as rare in developing countries as it is in the industrialized world, in line with international targets to improve maternal health. In the last years, the Campaign has brought fistula to the attention of a wide audience, including the general public, policymakers, health officials and affected communities. The Campaign has made remarkable progress but the needs are great. Ending fistula worldwide will demand political will, additional resources, and strengthened collaboration.
The Campaign is now working in 49 countries in Africa, Asia and the Arab region and involves a range of partners. Obstetric Fistula Obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury that has been relatively neglected, despite the devastating impact it has on the lives of girls and women. It is caused by obstructed labour without timely medical intervention —a Caesarean section. The consequences of fistula are life shattering. Due to the prolonged obstructed labour the baby almost inevitably dies, and the woman is left with chronic incontinence. Unable to control the flow of urine or faeces, or both, she may be abandoned by her husband and family and ostracized by her community. Without treatment, her prospects for work and family life are virtually non-existent. Preventable and treatable, fistula occurs disproportionately among impoverished girls and women, particularly those living far from medical services. These are the same women and girls who are most at risk of dying in childbirth.
|
