Ghana has lost a selfless Obstetric Fistula (OF) Advocate in the person of Ms. Cynthia Sinabisi, who passed away on 2nd April, 2021. Cynthia was one of the first women with OF to be surgically repaired in Ghana, aboard the Mercy Ship in 2006 and funded by UNFPA.
Following her recovery and with social reintegration support from UNFPA, Cynthia became an ardent advocate for fistula prevention and response and dedicatedly supported the identification and mobilization of women with OF for repairs including travelling to very remote and hard -to -reach communities when the need arose. Ms. Sinabisi went an extra mile to accompany identified clients for the pre-operative assessments and also for the surgeries when scheduled. With meagre resources, she shared what she had (for the benefit of other fistula survivors), often not requesting for reimbursement for her efforts. A few years ago, she successfully advocated with local district assemblies in the Upper East Region to fund the feeding and upkeep at the hospital of fistula clients from these districts who were undergoing surgical treatment at the time. She often shared the story of her journey with fistula to bring hope to other fistula survivors, encouraging them to seek help and treatment. She also advocated with stakeholders to support the national Fistula Programme and Campaign to end Fistula.
In a very touching moment in 2018, Cynthia was happily reunited with her fistula surgeon, Dr. Steve Arrowsmith, during a meeting of the International Obstetric Fistula Working Group organised by UNFPA in Nepal. Her realistic contributions to discussions on fistula at this same meeting was much appreciated by all.
Her demise is deeply felt and a sharp blow to those who knew her. She will always be remembered as an asset to the fistula programme and a role model for women and girls everywhere, always putting the needs of others first and more especially for fistula survivors. We are honoured to have known and worked with Cynthia. She will be dearly missed.
A renowned OF surgeon in Ghana – Dr. Gabriel Ganyaglo of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital had this to say “I met the late Cynthia Sinabisi on a number of outreaches to the Upper East Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga. She often participated in the preoperative assessment of the patients, offering vital background information on each. Her presence had a palpable calming effect on the patients most of who felt very comfortable with her. After surgery, it was not uncommon to bump into Cynthia on the wards, addressing patient welfare issues. We often shared our frustration with patients who refused to show up for repair at the 11th hour. Indeed, her devotion to the patients during outreach services was remarkable. Between outreaches we stayed in touch over phone calls, largely talking about the challenges of recruitment. News of her demise reached me when I called to schedule our next outreach to the region. She contributed as far she could to the cause. May her soul rest in peace”.
Cynthia left behind a husband and a young son.
Rest in peace Cynthia. You lived a full life and gave yourself to a cause you felt and believed in. Damirifa due!
