NEWS: Obstetric Fistula

With the Worldwide Fistula Fund having purchased a Glostavent® Anaesthesia System for their new centre for fistula in Niger and Diamedica’s development engineer, Richard Tully, heading out to set up and train, here are a few words on fistula in the developing world.

The majority of those in our wealthy nations would simply ask “What is fistula?” if they even came across it all. This would never be the case in Africa and other developing countries where it is a widespread and devestating condition. It is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of women with VVF in the world.

It is beyond the scope of this article to examine all its causes and the blight it places on womens’ lives in any great detail but it stems from the simple lack of basic healthcare. Delivering a child is one of the most dangerous events facing women in sub-Saharan Africa. Women who survive untreated obstructed labour face terrible injuries leading to physical, social and psychological problems which can make them outcasts living in a world of pain. This is wholly unnecessary and the world is slowly waking up to the problem and to the solution: providing suitable, accessible medical care.

To read more on this terrible problem take a look at the Worldwide Fistula Fund’s web pages. Here at Diamedica we are delighted that the WWFF has purchased a Glostavent® for its new fistula centre and look forward to working with them in country.