Fistula patients in Sudan are about to receive more than just surgery treatment. Thanks to UNFPA support and fruitful partner collaboration.
Fistula patients in Sudan are about to receive more than just surgery treatment. Thanks to UNFPA support and fruitful partner collaboration.
Federal Minister of Health Tabitha Butrus and Mr. Hafedh Chekir, Director of UNFPA Arab States Regional Office recently opened the National Centre for Rehabilitation and Social Integration of Fistula Patients.
The centre is a result of efforts and collaboration of various partners. The Federal Ministry of Religious guidance and endowment offered the building, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provided financial support ($60,000) to rehabilitate and furnish the center, the Federal Ministry of Social Welfare will support the running cost of the center while Federal Ministry of Health provides the staff as well as the overall management. They all worked tirelessly to make the centre a reality.
"The centre stands out as a model for collaboration between concerned actors," said Dr. Butrus addressing the opening ceremony. "Fistula is a nightmare for women, especially those who get married at a young age." She added that addressing Fistula as a medical and social problem starts with ending harmful practices such as early marriage and Female Genital Mutilation.
Mr. Hafedh Chekir, Director of UNFPA Arab States Regional Office attended the opening of the Centre. He thanked the Federal Ministry of Health for putting in place the National Road Map for Maternal Mortality Reduction. "While there are medical reasons for Fistula, there are also social aspects such as early marriage and harmful practices like Female Genital Mutilation," he added, noting that Fistula prevention is equally important through addressing these social aspects.
Mr. Chekir stressed the importance of ensuring sustainable support to the center to ensure continuous service to patients. He also shed light on similar efforts by UNFPA and partners at the states level where similar centers will be opened this year in Kassala and South Darfur.
Mr. Chekir reiterated that UNFPA supports the Ministry of Health to achieve its goals, especially the ones related to MDG 5 on providing universal reproductive health services.
The new National Centre for Rehabilitation and Social Integration of Fistula Patients, with a capacity of 40 beds, will complement the work of the existing Abbo Fistula Treatment Centre. The treatment centre provides services in surgery and training of medical staff while the new centre provides rehabilitation services that will help recovering patients in healing their psychological scars and reintegrating back into their families and communities. The two centres receive referred cases from all over Sudan.
