Government urges journalists to raise fistula awareness
In a bid to reduce cases of obstetric fistula in Malawi, Ministry of Health in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Africa Medical and Research Foundation (Amref) has urged journalists to disseminate fistula messages to raise awareness about the problem.
Speaking during a media orientation on fistula in Lilongwe last Wednesday, director of reproductive health Fannie Kachale said government is currently training health workers to repair obstetric fistula as it remains a major health problem in the country.
“We value this orientation knowing that when we give the media the right information, we will be able to create the much-needed awareness to the public hence help in reducing the problem,” said Kachale.
She added that as obstetrics fistula remains a major health problem in the country, government continues to encourage women to attend anti-natal care early in their pregnancies to be examined if labour is progressing very well.
Kachale said this would help prevent women from getting the condition which comes as a result of prolonged obstructed labour, pressure necrosis and foetal death.
UNFPA assistant representative Dorothy Nyasulu said fistula hinders government efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), stressing that the media should concentrate on prevention.
“Fistula is a complication that occurs as a result of pregnancy and when women gets fistula they are stigmatised and cannot be in groups as others would be shunning them,” she said.
