23 May 2014 – United Nations officials today called for eradicating
the global social injustice of obstetric fistula, a consequence of
childbirth that affects an estimated two million women and girls in
developing countries but is entirely preventable with access to quality
medical care.
“This International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is an
opportunity to sound the alarm on this tragedy so that we may galvanize
action to end it. Progress is possible,”
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his
message to mark the occasion.
Observed annually on 23 May, the Day aims to raise awareness
about, generate new support for and speed up efforts to end an injury
that harms women physically, socially and economically.
Most women who develop fistula, a hole in the birth canal usually
caused by prolonged, obstructed labour, remain untreated for their
entire lives, and the condition can easily recur in women and girls
whose fistula has been surgically treated but who receive little or no
medical follow-up and then become pregnant again.
“It is an appalling fact that in our world of modern medical
advances, nearly 800 women still die from pregnancy-related
complications each day, and for every woman who dies, almost 20 more are
injured or disabled with severe or life-shattering, long-term
conditions such as obstetric fistula,” said Mr. Ban.
The Secretary-General said that addressing obstetric fistula is
more than a matter of health. “It is a human rights imperative,” he
stated, adding that, if left untreated, the condition can contribute to
social isolation and depression and lead to chronic medical problems.
Over the past dozen years, some 47,000 women and girls have received surgical treatment supported by the UN Population Fund (
UNFPA), which leads the global Campaign to End Fistula.
“Fistula is fully preventable when all women and girls have
access to high-quality, comprehensive sexual and reproductive health
services, especially family planning, maternal health care and emergency
obstetric care,” said Mr. Ban, who called for joint efforts to
eliminate this “global social injustice.”
The theme of this year’s Day is “Tracking Fistula – Transforming
Lives” and reflects an important step forward in eradicating this
preventable condition.
“To treat fistula and provide women with follow-up medical care,
we need to know more about how many women and girls are in need of
services and also where they live,” UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde
Osotimehin said in a
statement.
“In most instances, stigma forces women living with the condition
to remain hidden and isolates them from families and communities. By
systematically registering and tracking each woman and girl who has or
had an obstetric fistula, we can make enormous strides in improving
their well-being and increasing the chances of their babies’ survival in
subsequent pregnancies.”
Dr. Osotimehin said that eliminating the health crisis of
obstetric fistula requires scaling up countries’ capacities to provide
access to equitable, high-quality sexual and reproductive health
services, including family planning and maternity care, especially
comprehensive emergency obstetric care.
“Tracking and treating all fistula cases is crucial, but it is
also necessary for countries to take steps to prevent fistulas by
addressing underlying medical and socio-economic causes, eliminating
gender-based social and economic inequities, preventing child marriage
and early childbearing and promoting education, especially for girls,”
he added.
Despite the progress made, the Executive Director said that far
more support and momentum are needed to enable the Campaign to expand
its reach to all corners of the world where women suffering from fistula
remain isolated and often unaware that treatment is available or even
possible.
“The time has come to put an end to obstetric fistula and address
the circumstances that perpetuate it, including poverty, lack of access
to health care, child marriage and early childbearing.
“We have the resources and know-how. What we need now is the
political will to elevate the status of women and girls, rectify
inequalities and protect the human rights of every woman and girl, so
that fistula may never again undermine a person’s health, well-being,
dignity and ability to participate in and contribute to their
communities.”
