Fistula Care Project

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See also: Crosscutting Issues

Dates of Operation: 2008 – 2013

Primary Implementing Partner: EngenderHealth, Inc.

Other Implementing Partner: IntraHealth International

Region of Operation: Amhara

Goal:

Reduce the number of women who suffer from obstetric fistula and improve reproductive and maternal health.

Project Objectives:

  • Increase access to treatment and care for women with fistula
  • Build facility and other service providers’ capacity in providing quality reproductive, maternal and child health services, particularly in obstetric fistula prevention, repair and care
  • Bring about broad behavioral change at all levels with respect to maternal health including obstetric fistula prevention and care, pre- and post-fistula treatment services, and increased seeking of maternal health services (clean and safe delivery)

Description:

The Fistula Care Project has assisted the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital (Hamlin Fistula Foundation) in activities related to case identification and treatment of fistula. The project’s response included various initiatives that encouraged community outreach to identify fistula patients, as well as supporting them before, during and after surgery.

The project’s innovative approach to fistula prevention and care is three-fold:

  1. Create pre-repair centers affiliated with existing health centers to provide physical and psychological support to women before and after fistula repair surgery
  2. Use community volunteers in community core teams, comprised of opinion leaders, to educate and mobilize communities about fistula prevention, identification and treatment
  3. Employ specially trained nurses to be “fistula mentors” who manage and implement clinical and community services and activities

Results:

  • Treatment of fistula patients at the Hamlin centers for surgery
  • Post-surgery counseling on family planning and HIV, resulting in referrals for family planning methods and patients consenting to HIV testing
  • Increased number of women referred by community volunteers to health posts/centers for antenatal care
  • Trained new health workers and community volunteers on fistula prevention and referral, and provided refresher training to others
  • Community volunteers conducted community outreach events
  • Greater commitment on the behalf of health offices in increasing awareness in their communities of safe motherhood and obstetric fistula