30 women to undergo fistula surgery at Nakaseke hospital

Nakaseke, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | At least 30 women from greater Luwero and other areas have registered for fistula surgery repairs at Nakaseke hospital. Some of the women have battled fistula for between 10 to 20 years.

A 45 year old woman from Wobulenzi town council in Luwero district says that she got the complication about ten years ago and has been reluctant to undergo surgery.

She however says that last year, the situation worsened prompting her to start looking for a surgeon to attend to her situation in vain.

Another woman from Salama road in Kampala, says that that she developed the condition four years ago.

She explains that initially, she didn’t feel any pain until last year when she started feeling feel uncomfortable because of the involuntary flow of urine.

Another woman from Wakiso district says that she developed the complication in 2004 and tried to use local herbs in vain. She says that her attempts to go for surgery were unsuccessful due to lack of money.

Most of the women say that they were referred to Kitovu hospital in Masaka city where fistula repairs are done periodically but they didn’t have transport to the facility. The women decried stigmatization from communities because of the complication.

However, some of the women breathed a sigh of relief after undergoing free fistula surgery repairs at Nakaseke hospital in a camp organized by Mbarara University and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital with support from the Swiss Foundation.

So far, 11 out of 30 women who registered for fistula surgery have been attended to. Dr. Moses Kayondo, a fistula surgeon and consultant gynecologist at Mbarara Regional Referral hospital who is leading the surgeries said that the women will remain at the hospital for two weeks for observation to ensure they heal properly.

Kayondo explains that the repairs are not readily available in general hospitals due to lack of specialists and medical equipment. He noted that they resolved to organize a camp at Nakaseke hospital after learning from previous camps at Kitovu hospital that many patients hail from greater Luwero and nearby districts.

A team of 12 people comprising doctors, nurses and counsellors from Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and Mbarara University will conduct the surgeries at Nakaseke hospital till Friday this week. Mariam Kaberuka the Chairperson of Nakaseke hospital Management Committee welcomed the camp in the region, saying it is a relief for the women who have battled the complication for years.

Kaberuka says that like other district hospitals, they also lack specialists and equipment to carry out surgeries at the facility. She appealed to other women in the region to embrace the surgeries, saying the team will cater for their transport and meals.

According to a 2016 study by the Ministry of Health, over 200,000 women are living with fistula. 1,900 new cases occur each year.

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