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Health experts blame fistula cases on TBAs
Dr Angela Clare Namala prepares one of the fistula patients who turned up at the hospital for the free medical camp in Jinja on Friday. PHOTO BY DENIS EDEMA
What you need to know:
- The health workers say many mothers who seek treatment for obstetric fistula first go to traditional birth attendants.
- Dr David Mwirumubi, a medical officer attached to obstetrics and gynaecology department at the hospital, this week said in the last one month, they have received four cases.
Health experts at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital have attributed the rampant obstetric fistula cases to mothers who do not want to deliver in hospitals.
The health workers say many mothers who seek treatment for obstetric fistula first go to traditional birth attendants.
Dr David Mwirumubi, a medical officer attached to obstetrics and gynaecology department at the hospital, this week said in the last one month, they have received four cases.
Dr Mwirumubi said when the facility organised a camp for obstetric fistula, they received more than 15 mothers in a day.
“We still have a number of mothers who still give birth at the hands of traditional birth attendants in the villages and they have their uterus torn,” he said.
Dr Mwirumubi said their plan is to operate about 60 mothers within two weeks but they are overwhelmed by the number.
He also attributed the recurrence of fistula to poor hygiene.
“Mothers who have fistula are discriminated against. They always have a bad smell,” he said.
Dr Mwirumubu said treatment can take between one and six months.
“This complication can be avoided if the mother attends antenatal care and also delivers from a health facility,” he said.
The assistant commissioner for reproductive health services at the Ministry of Health, Dr Richard Mugahi, said the biggest cause of obstetric fistula is obstructed labour, which includes an abnormally positioned baby, a small pelvis, and problems with the birth canal.
He said the size and the position of the foetus can lead to obstructed labour.
Dr Mugahi said the number of mothers experiencing such birth complications is increasing yet many health facilities across the country don’t have the capacity to handle the cases.
“Most of our health facilities, especially regional referral hospital don’t have specialised services to handle such complications, they only depend on health camps because the specialised doctors don’t exceed 20. As the Ministry of Health, we working hard to ensure that we make such service readily available to our facilities,” he said.
Ms Agnes Muhindo, a mother, said she developed obstetric fistula after being operated.
“I have been suffering from this complication for more than three months. Many mothers fear to disclose it to their husbands because they feel they will be discriminated against. I am happy that I have access to doctors,” she said.
About obstetric fistula
Obstetric fistula is a condition where a hole develops between the birth canal and bladder and/or rectum. It is caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without access to timely, high quality medical treatment. It leaves women leaking urine, faeces or both, and often leads to chronic depression, isolation and poverty.
