More than 50 women have been discharged from Kiir Mayardit Women’s Hospital in Rumbek, Lakes State, after undergoing surgery to treat obstetric fistula as part of a campaign offering free treatment.
The surgical campaign, which targeted 50 patients, concluded on Tuesday.
Gabriel Ngor, whose wife was among the women treated, told Radio Tamazuj that he was grateful to the doctors for helping her recover.
“My wife developed fistula after giving birth to our first child,” Ngor said. “This support for poor people in the community living with this condition is one of the greatest things.”
Ngor said he had taken on additional responsibilities while his wife was living with the condition, including fetching water, buying household items and caring for their child.
“I used to help her by buying things from the market and sometimes fetching water from the hand pump and taking care of the child,” he said. “Now I am very happy that my wife has successfully undergone the surgery.”
He urged other families to take women suffering from fistula to hospital for treatment.
Deborah Khamis, one of the patients, urged communities across Lakes State to raise awareness about fistula and encourage affected women to seek medical treatment.
She also advised women who had undergone surgery to follow medical advice during their recovery, including avoiding sexual intercourse for the period recommended by health workers.
“Some husbands may want to resume intimacy before their wives have fully recovered,” Khamis said. “Women also need to understand the importance of following doctors’ advice because resuming sexual activity too early could affect the healing process.”
Dr. Hikama Mohamed Abdalla, a member of the surgical team, said the medical team was encouraged by the number of women who had responded to the campaign.
“We are prepared to perform fistula surgery and provide treatment to women with this condition,” she said.
Dr Abdalla said the number of women seeking treatment had increased since the campaign began.
She urged families to support women affected by fistula and ensure they receive medical care.
Dr Abdalla also said early marriage is among the factors that could contribute to obstetric fistula and urged families to ensure that women and girls have access to appropriate healthcare.
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