Home ›› 14 Sep 2021 ›› Governance
Ensuring safe surgery has become an urgent need to eradicate obstetric fistula as it’s one of the most serious and tragic childbirth injuries which leave women with incontinence problems and often leads to chronic medical problems, depression, social isolation and deepening poverty.
Health experts, however, observed that the problem is preventable with the correct medical assistance and its occurrence is a violation of human rights and a reminder of gross inequities in the society.
The experts came up with the observation while addressing a safe surgery workshop with surgeons virtually today. LAMB Hospital hosted the meeting with assistance of the Department of Health Services and financial support from the UNFPA Bangladesh, discussing and devising ways and means on how to attain a desired yield in this field through ensuring safe surgery.
Civil Surgeon Dr Ram Podo Ray addressed the workshop as chief guest, while Deputy Director of the Department of Family Planning Abdulla Al Baki and Superintendent of Sirajganj Sadar Hospital Dr Saiful Islam spoke as special guests.
Dr Nazmunnahar Tara, Assistant Professor of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital, presented a keynote paper giving an illustration on causes, prevention and treatment of the obstetric fistula. She also put forward a set of recommendations on how to eliminate the problem.
Dr Nazmunnahar told the meeting that obstetric fistula is preventable. It can largely be avoided by delaying the age of first pregnancy and timely access to obstetric care. Prevention of all sorts of cessation of harmful traditional practices can be the best way of overcoming the problem.
She clarified that obstetric fistula is associated with several risk factors and they appear to be preventable. Besides, this disease is associated with teenage status at delivery, prolonged labor, home delivery and short status at delivery.
