STRONGER TOGETHER TO END FISTULA
More than half a million women and girls globally are living with the devastating effects
of obstetric fistula, according to a report by UNFPAin 2022. Thousands more develop
the condition each year, an injury caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without timely
medical intervention.
And yet, fistula is almost entirely preventable and treatable. Its continued existence is
not the result of misfortune but of systemic failure. It results directly from systemic
neglect: weak maternal health systems, poverty, inadequate infrastructure, and limited
access to skilled care.
Beyond the devastating physical toll, obstetric fistula isolates women socially, erodes
their confidence, and pushes them to the margins of society. The shame is not theirs to
bear. Yet, they are often left to suffer in silence.
In response to this pressing challenge, eighteen (18) key stakeholders from
government, civil society, the health sector, faith-based organisations, development
partners and the private sector have joined forces through the Partners to End Fistula in
Ghana (PEFIG) initiative. Officially launched in December 2023, PEFIG represents a
unified national commitment to eliminate obstetric fistula in Ghana by 2030.
PEFIG’s strategy is both medical and social. It delivers free surgical repairs, trains
specialised medical professionals, raises public awareness, engages communities, and
supports survivors with psychosocial counselling and economic empowerment. The
initiative also advocates for integrating fistula prevention into Ghana’s broader maternal
and reproductive health policies.
Through hospitals such as Komfo Anokye and Ho Teaching Hospitals, Upper West and
Koforidua Regional Hospitals, and Mercy Women’s Hospital, women are regaining their
dignity through life-changing surgeries. PEFIG is a showcase of what coordinated and
genuine partnerships can achieve. Women who were once hidden in shame are now
returning to their communities with confidence, strength, and purpose.
For the first half of 2025, PEFIG facilitated the repairs of 44 fistula cases across the
country. Also, a fistula Holding and Empowerment Centre is being constructed at the
Yendi Municipal Hospital, supported by the Qatar Foundation in collaboration with
Ghana Health Service and UNFPA Ghana. This facility will offer temporary
accommodation, counselling, and skills training to aid the recovery and reintegration of
women undergoing surgery, particularly those from remote areas in Northern Ghana
Yet the journey is far from over. Many women still do not know that treatment is
available. Others cannot access it due to financial or geographic barriers. Survivor
support and follow-up care also remain patchy. PEFIG continues to call on private
sector actors, philanthropic organisations, media houses, faith leaders, and professional bodies to rally behind this mission through investment, awareness, and political
commitment.
Dr. Wilfred Ochan, Country Representative of UNFPA Ghana, believes Ghana can
achieve its goal through strategic collaboration.
“Fistula is more than a health issue. It is a matter of rights and justice. No woman
should suffer the trauma of childbirth in silence or shame when we have the means and
resources to prevent it. Ghana has made courageous strides. The road ahead requires
that we walk together with urgency, with commitment, and with the resolve to ensure
that no woman is left behind,” he said.
Now is the time to act. If you are a woman living with fistula or know someone who is,
free treatment is available at selected hospitals across Ghana. Let us spread the word
and ensure every woman gets the care she needs. To all stakeholders, this is our call to
unite. Let us end obstetric fistulas in Ghana. Not someday. Now!
