Fistula surgeries resume in Mansa

Mansa General Hospital has resumed obstetric fistula surgeries under the new normal. The resumption follows the suspension of the surgeries following the Covid-19 outbreak early this year. Fistula Foundation Zambia program director, Bwalya Chomba says so far about 20 fistula patients from all over the prince have been successfully operated on at Mansa General Hospital. Ms. Bwalya says her organisation working with Government will continue conducting surgeries under the new normal but will limit itself to a few number of women that falls within government prescribed Covid-19 guidelines.  She further, disclosed that the Fistula Foundation has in the past three months conducted mobilisation surgery outreaches where 200 women have been identified and are on the waiting throughout the Country. “The organisation has identified 200 women in our operation areas countrywide, to reduce on the backlog we will continue to conduct operation under the new normal,” she said. She stated that her Organisation is however, concerned with the continued encounter of new cases of obstetric fistula to women who deliver from health centers. “It raises concern to see women who deliver from health centers have fistula, this is largely because of long distance they have to cover to access certain professional medical services and the lack of decision making by the patients,” disclosed Bwalya. Ms. Bwalya also revealed that there has been a high demand for surgeons that are able to conduct fistula repairs and that the few doctors that are able to do the operations are overwhelmed with work. She has however commended Government for its continued cooperation and support towards the reduction of obstetric Fistula among women, -ZANIS The Sun