Story by Tamuka Charakupa
In a breakthrough for women’s health, 15 women from Chinhoyi and surrounding areas have successfully undergone surgeries to correct childbirth injuries at Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital.
The initiative is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to address sanitary health challenges faced by women.
The surgeries were made possible through an outreach programme implemented by the government and its partners, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Nomvelo Siambare, a 32-year-old resident of Bulawayo is one of the beneficiaries.
“I have three children who I all delivered without challenges only that I was stitched after the last delivery. I got discharged successfully together with my baby but after one week I started noticing that the stitches were not healing. I discovered that the two openings had an abnormal connection, and I would mess myself up anytime. I then saw an advert which led me to this place,” she said.
Siambare’s struggles mirrored those of Nomsa (not her real name) who endured three years of pain, discrimination, and shame.
“I have lived with this condition for close to three years because I did not have money for surgery and after all I was ashamed to seek help for fear of discrimination. I even joined some social media groups for peer online counselling but that did not work. I then saw an advert about this programme and I came here where I got assisted. I got operated and now I feel better and recovering well.”
Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital’s Sister Charity Matambo highlighted the programme’s success since its launch in 2015.
“This programme started in October 2015 and has managed to assist over 100 women over the years. From 2020 we resumed this September and with only 15 women who have had successful surgeries. We want to thank our partner, the UNFP for supporting this initiative. We encourage women to seek medical assistance as early as they discover this condition because it is curable.
“Above all let’s utilise the correct health systems which we have because the majority of cases associated with this condition are women who give birth at home and do not seek medical checkups thereafter,” she highlighted.
Obstetric fistula is a serious medical condition that results in unintended leakage of bodily fluids.
The condition often arises from complications during childbirth, particularly in instances where women give birth at home without access to proper medical care and checkups.
