The Beauty of Afrikan Sisterhood seeks to Heal, Uplift and Empower our Sisters suffering with Obstetric Fistula in Ghana.

What is Obstetric Fistula?

Obstetric fistula with severe medical, social, psychological, and economic consequences. Fistula causes chronic incontinence and can lead to a range of other physical ailments including frequent infections, kidney disease, painful sores, and infertility. The physical injuries combined with misperceptions about the cause of fistula often result in stigma and discrimination, leading to social isolation, psychological harm, and mental health issues. Women and girls with fistula are often unable to work, and many are abandoned by husbands and families and ostracized by their communities, driving them further into poverty and vulnerability and decreasing their quality of life. The continued occurrence of obstetric fistula is a human rights violation, reflecting the marginalization of those affected and the failure of health systems to meet their needs. Their isolation means they often go unnoticed by policymakers, and little action is taken to address or prevent their condition. As a result, women and girls suffer needlessly, often for years, with no hope in sight. This information was provided by United Nation Population Fund (UNPF).

How Obstetric Fistula Occurs?

Without emergency intervention, obstructed labor can last for days, resulting in death or severe disability. The obstruction can cut off blood supply to tissues in the woman’s pelvis. When the dead tissue falls away, she is left with a hole in the birth canal. Obstetric fistula occurs among the poorest and most marginalized women and girls.

What is the outcome for Fistula Patients?
Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious and debilitating childbirth injuries. It is a hole between the birth canal and bladder and/or rectum, it is caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without access to timely, high-quality medical treatment. It leaves women and girls leaking urine, feces or both, and often leads to chronic medical problems, depression, social isolation, and deepening poverty. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) , there are half a million women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean are estimated to be living with fistula, with new cases developing every year.
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