Hospital on a mission to restore hope for fistula patients

Fistula, particularly in Kilifi County, has long been viewed as a curse in many local communities, forcing many victims to suffer in silence.

The most common type is obstetric fistula, an abnormal connection between the rectum and the birth canal caused by prolonged labour and injury during childbirth.

Depending on the size and location of the fistula, sufferers may experience foul-smelling vaginal discharge or the passage of stool through the vagina.

In a few cases, fistulas may close on their own, but most require surgical repair. This underscores the need for regular screening for women, especially after childbirth.

Sera Sidi, a 42-year-old woman from Jilore village in Malindi Sub-County, said she developed the condition after giving birth to her first child ten years ago, which led to discrimination from family and friends.

She recounted how she was eventually forced to flee her home because of the stigma after her husband rejected her.

However, with support from a new partner, Sera found comfort and was later linked to medical experts who helped her access treatment.

Her story mirrors that of Nelvin Wafula, a 34-year-old mother of four who developed fistula after delivering her second child through a Caesarean section.

She said her mother-in-law associated the condition with witchcraft and avoided her, leaving her feeling deeply discriminated against.

Her husband later married another wife and pushed her out of the bedroom, forcing her to sleep in the kitchen.

6,000 surgeries

Through Women and Development Against Distress in Africa (WADADIA–HABITAT) Mother and Child Holistic Health and Training Hospital in Malindi town, Kilifi County, Nelvin was able to receive treatment after meeting a member of the organisation at a funeral.

Dr Habiba Mohamed, founder and director of WADADIA–HABITAT, said more than 3,000 women suffer from the condition annually in Kenya, with stigma still preventing many victims from seeking treatment.

She added that WADADIA–HABITAT has conducted more than 6,000 fistula surgeries since its inception and currently operates in 14 counties.

The hospital is the second specialised facility in the Coast region after Bomu Hospital.

Dr Mohamed said that in the past week alone, more than 80 women suffering from fistula underwent free surgeries at the facility. The surgeries will continue as part of efforts to help the country achieve its goal of eradicating the condition.

“We have performed more than 80 fistula surgeries in the past week at our hospital, all free of charge, as we support the Ministry of Health in its efforts to eradicate fistula in the country,” she said.

To strengthen the fight against maternal mortality, particularly deaths related to childbirth, the Ministry of Health, together with WADADIA–HABITAT and other partners, has stepped up efforts to address fistula and related complications.

According to Dr Edward Serem, head of Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH), the country records about 3,000 deaths related to maternal health conditions every year.

Dr Serem also launched the Holistic Care and Treatment for Women with Childbirth and Other Pelvic Floor Injuries guidebook developed by WADADIA–HABITAT on Sunday. He urged Kenyans to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), noting that it covers expectant mothers.

He commended WADADIA–HABITAT Hospital for being at the forefront of eradicating fistula among women and pledged government support to ensure that all women in distress receive help.

“The surgeries we have conducted will go a long way in addressing this problem. I want to thank WADADIA–HABITAT for their consistency in ensuring that these surgeries take place. Fistula remains a problem in our country, largely due to delays in accessing healthcare, which are often caused by obstructed labour,” he said.

He added: “Women are still suffering, and in Kenya we lose about 3,000 women every year to conditions related to maternal health. As the Ministry of Health, we are sensitising pregnant women on the importance of attending antenatal care and encouraging them to deliver in health facilities.”

Gender-based violence

Obstetric fistula is primarily linked to prolonged, obstructed labour, particularly in rural areas where access to emergency medical care is limited. The condition causes chronic leakage of urine and faeces, often leading to stigma, isolation and severe social consequences for affected women.

Dr Rachel Pope, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and fistula surgeon from University Hospitals Cleveland, said cervical cancer causes more than 300,000 deaths globally each year.

Dr Pope also noted that about 100 million girls worldwide remain out of school, while another 12 million are married before the age of 18, with one in three girls experiencing gender-based violence.

She said that although some countries eradicated fistula more than a century ago, global efforts are still needed to help other nations achieve complete eradication. She added that cervical cancer continues to contribute significantly to deaths among women worldwide.

“Every year, preventable cancers disproportionately affect women, especially cervical cancer, which causes more than 300,000 deaths globally,” she said.

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro, while addressing women at the Karisa Maitha Grounds in Kilifi town, announced that the county government will launch a cancer centre in April.

“We are going to open a cancer centre where patients will receive treatment, and women will also get free cervical cancer vaccines,” he said.