By Doh James Sonkey
Some 19,000 women are reported to be suffering from obstetrics fistulae in Cameroon.
The revelation was made last June 27, 2023 at Departmental Hotel in Mbalmayo by the Inspector N°2 at the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family, Maipa Wespa epouse Koukreo during a sensitization workshop for journalists on essential family practices and obstetrics fistulas.
She said, generally, women hide with this disease at home and they don’t show up for health campaigns. They are excluded from the society, discriminated upon, rejected by their families, divorce and its consequences etc.
The Focal Point of obstetrics fistulas at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Mouliom Jiogap Narcisse indicated that according to the World Health Organization, WHO, 2 million women are suffering from obstetrics fistulas.
In his exposé, he said obstetrics fistulas is caused by prolonged labour, “When a woman is in labour, they make her to sit on a hard wood and spend at least 3 days in the house before going to the hospital.”
61% of Health Centres in Cameroon can operate pregnant women according to a report in 2015. Communication remains as low as 23% among women at the age of putting to birth. Only 2.4% of women are operated upon.”
Dr Mouliom Narcisse added that, the transportation of those who are sick with the disease are reimbursed in the hospital, they are fed when they come to the Yaounde Central Hospital for treatment etc.
To avoid obstetrics fistulas, families are called upon to fight against early marriages and early pregnancies.
When she puts to birth and after few days, urine and faeces flow out unnoticed.
Priority regions are the East, Adamawa, North and the Far North regions. Reference Centre will be constructed in the Maroua Regional Hospital by United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA.
Two exposes were presented: obstetrics fistulas by Dr Moluh and the notion of essential family practices by the Head Service for Family Protection at the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family, Ntiga Bella Engelbert Placide.
He said essential family practices refer to the bahaviour adopted by families to promote health, nutrition and the development of the children.