Number of fistula patients on rise

Experts at a seminar said Sunday about 1.69 in every 1,000 women in Bangladesh are patients of obstetric fistula and the number is growing gradually.
They cited child marriage and delivery by the unskilled birth attendants in the rural areas as the main causes of the disease. The present number of fistula patients ranges between 75,000 and 0.1 million.  
Their observations came at a discussion programme on the occasion of observing the 2nd International Day to End Obstetric Fistula 2014 at the conference room of Fistula department of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH). Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) organised the seminar in collaboration with UNFPA and BWHC.
DMCH director Brig Gen Mostafizur Rahman was present as the chief guest at the seminar.
Obstetric fistula (or vaginal fistula) is a medical condition in which a fistula (hole) develops either between the rectum and vagina or between the bladder and vagina after severe or failed childbirth, when adequate medical care is not taken. It is considered as a disease of women in poor countries who do not have health care facilities compared to developed nations.
Speakers at the seminar said there are many families where girls are married at 15 years and give birth to child at the age of 18 before they know the health complications before, after and during delivery.
Besides, in Bangladesh about 83 per cent deliveries take place at home and about 10 per cent are late deliveries which cause fistula. These patients need to be admitted to the nearby health clinics to avoid late delivery.
About 95 per cent fistula patients can be cured after successful operation by a good surgeon, the speakers said.    
A total of 10 public and five private hospitals in the country provide services for the fistula-related problems.