Mulago Specialised Women Hospital announces free surgical camp
Á general view of the Mulago Specialised Women Hospital. PHOTO/FILE/TONNY ABET
What you need to know:
- During the surgical camp, medics will also be handling some of the delayed birth injuries women can get.
Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital has said free medical screening is underway ahead of the surgical camp which is starting next Monday to handle patients with birth-related injuries.
Dr Godfrey Alia, the urogynaecologist and fistula surgeon at the hospital, told this reporter on Friday that the screening will continue even next week as patients get important surgeries throughout the week. He said the patients who will turn up during the surgical camp will be handled even when the camp has ended under the same terms as the surgical camp.
“We are currently screening patients for the urogynaecology camp where we will manage all issues of birth-related injuries such as fistula. The injuries can happen immediately, or they can be delayed,” Dr Alia said.
“The immediate injuries can include tears and if they are not repaired immediately, there are complications of leakage of faecal matter. Women can also get neglected obstructed labour and this can result in vesicovaginal fistula, where they get a hole communicating between the bladder and birth canal. This causes continuous urine leakage,” he explained.
The endless leakage of urine is associated with profound effects on the emotional, social and economic well-being of the patient. Many patients do not get corrective surgery due to the related cost, lack of knowledge or distant facilities.
Dr Alia said the surgical camp is being done with support from partners such as The Association for Rehabilitation and Re-Orientation of Women for Development (TERREWODE), a not-for-profit organisation which is supporting women to get fistula surgeries and also giving economic empowerment to the survivors.
“Recently I was in a surgical camp in Namayingo and I found an old woman who had lived with fistula for 54 years. I repaired her,” the fistula surgeon said.
During the surgical camp, Dr Alia said they are also fixing “pelvic organ prolapses, where the uterus plus other tissues of the birth canal come out.” He said this is one of the delayed birth injuries women can get.
“Then some people are also born with abnormalities in the urinary system or the girl is born without normal opening of a woman; we are also handling this,” he said.
