Liberating women, girls from fistula

Isabella Yatima, a patient at Mangochi District Hospital waited with bated breath for the results of a medical operation performed on her. 

The 36-year-old mother of five, is an obstetric fistula patient.

Living with fistula

Yatima has been living in the neighbouring Mozambique, where her husband works.

This is where she developed fistula after going through a prolonged labour, which left her with a hole in her bladder that leaked urine.

Since being operated on, Yatima has been using a tube to empty her bladder. However, on this day, the doctor on call, informed her that it was time to have the pipe removed.

“My heart skipped a bit,” she says, recalling the tense moment. “I knew if the doctor ordered the pipe to be removed, then I should be healed.”

After the tube’s removal procedure, she went back to her bed. Minutes later, Yatima hesitantly felt her bed with the back of her hand. The sheets were dry, meaning she was no longer wetting herself.

 Joy after surgery

In disbelief, Yatima screamed with joy.

“I felt like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders,” said Yatima as other patients came around to congratulate her.

The journey to this happy ending has been shrouded with many challenges. At one point, Yatima state of mind was a concern to her relatives. And this was how she found herself back home in Malawi.

“I tried seeking help from famed traditional doctors from my community but to no avail,” recalls Yatima.

The condition, the endless concoctions and the social stigma had left her drained and resigned to fate. She didn’t trust that anyone, let alone a hospital could cure her from fistula.

Her mother in-law Patuma Jemusi says it took a lot of convincing to bring her back home for treatment.

“She didn’t even want to come out of the house. But when we told her about how other women in our community were helped, she finally agreed to come,” says Jemusi.

In a few days, Yatima will be leaving the hospital, healed and free from fistula. So will her hospital ward-mate 18-year-old Sau Mponda, another fistula survivor. Mponda had a successful operation to repair a torn bladder she incurred during childbirth in February.

“I am looking forward to go home,” says Mponda. “I miss my child and socialising with my friends.”

Hope for patients

So far, Mangochi District Hospital has successfully operated on four women suffering fistula.

With support from UNFPA and funding from Iceland, the district hospital plans to surgically repair 50 women who are living with fistula this year.

“With support from Iceland, we have also supported Mangochi District Council to train 60 fistula ambassadors and bought them bicycles to ease transportation as they help to advocate and actively identify women with fistula,” says Robert Chasweka, UNFPA project facilitator for sexual reproductive health in Mangochi.