Health experts are calling for urgent action to address obstetric fistula in Ghana, revealing that more than 7,000 women are currently living with the condition nationwide.

The disclosure was made during an awareness campaign for World Obstetric Fistula Day held in Kumasi under the theme: “Her Health Is a Right: Invest to End Fistula and Childbirth Injuries.”

Medical professionals explained that obstetric fistula is mainly caused by prolonged and obstructed labour, particularly when women are unable to access timely emergency obstetric care.

An obstetrician specialist with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr Adzi Kofi Gudugbe, explained that the condition occurs when prolonged pressure during labour damages the tissue between the bladder and rectum, leading to uncontrollable leakage of urine or stool.

“When this happens, the baby’s head is pressed firmly against either the bladder or the rectum, and because of the prolonged pressure, the tissue in that area can die,” he said.

He noted that the condition often leaves affected women isolated, rejected by their communities, and suffering severe emotional and psychological trauma.

“The stench is so strong that the woman withdraws from society. Even their partners sometimes leave them, and some communities wrongly believe they are witches,” he added.

Dr Gudugbe stated that Ghana records nearly 800 new fistula cases annually, with recent studies estimating that about 7,130 women were living with the condition in 2025.

He stressed that improving access to skilled delivery services and emergency obstetric care is critical to eliminating the condition.

“To achieve the target of eliminating obstetric fistula in Ghana, we need to repair close to 2,500 cases every year for the next four years,” he said.

As part of efforts to address the challenge, health authorities and partner organisations are conducting free fistula repair surgeries at several centres nationwide from now until mid-June 2026.

He also appealed to the private sector, corporate institutions, and philanthropists to support the national campaign through funding and partnerships.

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