The Comprehensive Community-Based Rehabilitation Tanzania, an NGO dedicated to addressing gender inequality and improving maternal health, is taking proactive measures to treat obstetric fistulas among women in rural areas.

CEO of CCBRT, Dr. Brenda Msangi, told journalists on Friday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, that the organisation, in collaboration with donor partners, was working tirelessly to provide free surgical repair for women suffering from fistulas. 

Obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury resulting from prolonged and obstructed labour, affects thousands of women in Tanzania, leaving them with severe physical and social consequences. 

According to the World Health Organisation, many women suffering from this condition face stigma, isolation, and limited access to healthcare. 

Additionally, Ms Msangi said that the initiative includes educational and employment programmes to raise awareness about maternal health and promote early detection and treatment of obstetric stulas. 

“Our goal is not only to provide medical treatment but also to empower women with the knowledge and resources to prevent and address obstetric fistulas,” she said. 

She explained that they had trained ambassadors across communities who were familiar with locating these women and ensuring they received treatment.

She said, “We’ve trained both women and men as ambassadors from various regions on mainland Tanzania. “

The training primarily focuses on educating the ambassadors about the signs of these diseases and the necessary considerations before arranging travel to CCBRT. 

“We inform the ambassadors that if a woman delivers her child naturally and develops a fistula, the woman must wait for 40 days before seeking treatment. However, if the delivery was via caesarean section, the woman must wait for three months before seeking treatment,” she said. 

She said that the initiative was already making a significant impact, with hundreds of women receiving life-changing surgeries and support services. 

By addressing obstetric fistulas, she said that the organisation aimed to break the cycle of poverty and inequality faced by many women in the country, ultimately contributing to the country’s development and prosperity. 

According to her, the citizens have come to welcome the initiative, recognising its importance in promoting gender equality and improving maternal health outcomes in the country. 

She disclosed that in Tanzania, annual incidences of obstetric fistulas ranged from 1,200 to 3,700 and of those, less than 1,400 received treatment, leaving thousands of women with the condition untreated each year. 

“In most cases, fistulas can be treated with surgery, but many women in Tanzania cannot afford the cost of accessing medical help.  Using cell phones, Tanzania’s largest provider of fistula surgery, CCBRT, is breaking down this barrier. 

Since it started treating fistulas, CCBRT and satellite facilities have treated more than 10,000 women living with fistulas, enabling them to re-establish clean and respected identities as well as reinstating their productive and reproductive capabilities,” she said. 

According to her, more than 90 per cent of fistula patients were completely healed and went home to unite with their families, equally participating in community, family and personal social and economic activities. 

She said that CCBRT did not end with treating fistulas but also empowered women to improve their social and economic lives through its holistic care approach and Mabinti Training Centre. 

“This initiative is a ray of hope for women like me who have suffered in silence for too long,” said 29-year-old Anastasia Beni-Magashi, a survivor. 

Ms Beni-Magashi said that by treating fistulas and empowering women, the organisation was laying the foundation for a brighter and more equitable future for her community. 

She said that the NGO’s efforts represented a critical step forward in addressing the root causes of gender inequality and advancing the rights and well-being of women in Tanzania. 

“With continued support and collaboration, the initiative has the potential to transform the lives of countless women in my community and across the country,” she said.

 (NAN)