Relief after 30 years

Today we operated on a lady who had a fistula for 30 years! This means she had leaked urine for all this time. Just imagine that! She had suffered the fistula due to a childbirth injury to her urogenital tract. A fistula is a communication between the vagina and the bladder allowing urine to drain through the vagina. Unfortunately these women usually can’t afford pads, which mean it soaks into their clothing leaving an odour, and are often ostracized as a result. They are more often than not rejected by their husbands and therefore rely on relatives to provide their daily needs.

I count it a privilege to care for these women and to be able to give them life-changing surgery where their fistula is closed, rendering them dry and allowing them back into the community. We work with a team of wonderful nurses and doctors who have these women’s best interests at heart.