The National Reproductive & Child Health Programe Unit, under the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with UNFPA and WHO Country Office, last Wednesday began a two- day community sensitisation on Obstetric Fistula, at Sare Soffie and Banni  in Central River Region.

The aim of the sensitisation was to increase community awareness on how Obstetric Fistula occurs, why it occurs and how it can be prevented. Addressing the participants, the senior nurse at the reproductive & child health unit in Banjul, Nfamara Fatty, pointed out that Obstetric Fistula is an injury of childbearing that has been relatively neglected despite the devastating impact it has on the lives of girls and women.

He noted that it is usually caused by several days of obstetric labor, without timely medical intervention - typically a caesarean section to relieve the pressure. He revealed that the obstetric fistula situation analysis was carried out in the country in 2006 to gauge the level of obstetric fistula and a total of 197 cases were identified which pegged the prevalence rate at 0.5 per 1000.

The CRR senior CHN tutor, Ida Ceesay, asserted that poverty, malnutrition, poor health service, early childbearing and gender discrimination are interlinked root causes of obstetric fistula. She further stated that poverty is the main social risk factor because it is associated with early marriage and malnutrition.

Speaking on behalf of the communities, Jerreh Keita, thanked the RCH unit for the awareness creation and appealed for motor bikes and ambulances which will allow them to reach the health facility without much delay.