NBGS announces free fistula operations

A health official has asked women suffering with fistula in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State to register for a free operation.

A obstetrical fistula is an abnormal opening between the vagina and other nearby organs in the pelvis, including the bladder or rectum.

It can cause many complications, such as urinary and fecal leakage, abnormal vaginal discharge, tissue damage, kidney infections and other irritative type symptoms.

In South Sudan, there is an estimated backlog of 60,000 cases waiting for surgical repair, of whom fewer than 1,000 have had surgical repair and treatment, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Left untreated, fistula puts the affected women in triple jeopardy.

the Director of Reproductive Health at the state Ministry of Health says the exercise commenced this week at the Aweil Civil Hospital’s maternity department and will continue for more two weeks.

“If you hear this message, please pass it on for people to come or you the caretaker can come and register the patient and then later come together for the operation if it is not possible to bring that person now,” Marko Ayuel told Akol Yam on Friday.

Ayuel revealed that they are targeting more than 200 patients with fistula cases. However, said only three patients have registered since the registration started.