Obstetric fistula that kills at least 2,000 pregnant women a year in the country is not only a health problem but also social and human rights issue.
According to a study under “National Fistula Strategy”, 2011-2016 OF afflicted girls or women usually end up their marital relation being divorced by their husbands and rejected by their families and societies.
But the ill-fated fistula patients are usually young, illiterate, poor, rural girls who had been married out at a very young age, became pregnant soon after their marriage but not get adequate antenatal care.
Most of the time, these girls are bound to deliver their baby at home even with prolonged or obstructed labour with attendance of traditional birth attendant as their husbands reluctant to take to hospital. As a consequence the girls give birth of stillborn babies.
The injured tissue soon rots away, leaving a fistula (hole). If the hole is between the woman’s vagina and bladder, she loses control over her urination, and if it is between her vagina and rectum, she loses control of her bowel movements.
“About 7,300 women are dying each year due to pregnancy related causes, where Obstretic Fistula (OF) causes 2,000 deaths among 7300,” said another study conducted in 2010.
The information reveled at a dissemination workshop on “National Fistula Strategy” yesterday at CIRDUP auditorium in the city, reports BSS.
Health Secretary Syed Manjurul Islam was the chief guest at the programme where Joint Chief of Planning wing under the ministry Helal Uddin and UNFPA representative Argentina Matavel Piccin were present among others health experts.
Syed Manjurul Islam emphasised to create mass awareness and advocacy from the community health providers to prevent the disease. He also said government and non-government effort is essential to combat the disease.
According to ‘Situation Analysis of Obstetric Fistula in Bangladesh’, a 2003 survey, over 71,000 women in Bangladesh suffer from fistula. The survey was carried out by the NGO, Engender Health in cooperation with the UNFPA.