• “People say I smell. They don’t like me. I stopped going to church and attending funerals."
• Women need not live with the condition because it can be rectified and and their dignity restored.
Ndunge Kamenwa (not her real name) has lived with fistula, an embarrassing condition that causes the leakage of urine and faeces, for close to six years.
And, as if this was not bad enough, her husband divorced her in 2014 soon after she gave birth to their fourth child.
“People say I smell. They say that they don’t like me. I stopped going to church and attending funerals. It's bad, but I am unable to do anything about it," Ndunge says.
The woman from Machakos had been married in the neighbouring Makueni county.
She developed obstetric fistula while delivering her fourth child.
Obstetric fistula is a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged and obstructed labour.
“I had a long labour and I eventually delivered through caesarean section to save the baby. But it was too late. I was left with fistula."
Ndunge, who is physically impaired and an orphan, said that soon after leaving the hospital, urine started leaking continuously from her genitals.
Meanwhile, her husband remarried, abandoning her with their four children.
She returned to her family to raise her children with the help of her sister. She grew crops and did part-time job as a salonist.
Sadly, she developed other conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Ndunge was ignorant of what she was suffering from until a doctor informed her of the condition in 2015.
"I met her at the Machakos Level 5 Hospital during the one-week Fistula Surgery Camp. I had gone for screening and possible surgery. The camp is held courtesy of Jamaa Mission Hospital and the Safaricom Foundation."
The Fistula Surgery Camp is held from November 21 to November 27 during which poor patients are attended to cost-free.
Normally, fistula surgery costs between Sh60,000 and Sh100,000.
Ndunge had, since she was informed of her condition, visited several hospitals without much assistance.
She showed up at the fistula camp with a lot of optimism.
She was not the only woman with the condition. Eleven months ago, Mary Kimondo (not her real name) received fistula repair surgery at Jamaa Mission Hospital after battling with the disorder since 2014.
Mary, 42, also developed the condition while giving birth to her last born.
"I gave birth prematurely. The nurses pulled out the baby, leaving me unable to control urine or faeces," she said.
For six years the mother of three lived in isolation due to stigma and rejection.
“I had to abandon interacting with people because they said I smelt bad. I couldn’t go to church.
"But I got healed and since January I have been going anywhere without feeling shame. The surgery brought back the love that was missing from my family,” Mary said.
Jamaa Mission Hospital surgeon Elizabeth Okello says they have been operating on women with fistula since 2004.
The hospital partners with several organisations to offer free fistula surgery. The partners take care of the bills.
Okello said they decided to bring the treatment closer to those unable to reach them in Nairobi.
“The reason we launched this camp is that most patients are financially challenged and cannot come to us. We decided on the approach and it works."
The surgeon urged the society not to neglect or isolate women with fistula and instead encourage them to go for surgery since it is free.
"This is not a condition that they have to live with because it can be rectified and bring back their dignity," Okello said.
Machakos Health CECM Ancient Kituku said the condition was not common. He regretted that many women with the condition suffered in silence.
"They are unable to maintain good hygiene and some end up being abandoned by their husbands.
"Fistula has made some women withdraw from economic activities because of stress and stigma. This contributes to separation from husbands who don't understand that this problem can be treated," Kituku said.
He added: "When a woman has this condition, she isolates herself from society. It’s not only her who is sick but the family too suffers psychologically."
According to a 2018 United Nations Population Fund study, 50,000–100,000 women develop the cases annually 99 per cent in developing countries.
Most women with obstetric fistula had a history of C-section.
According to the study, those with obstetric fistula suffer constant incontinence of urine, faeces or both. They also suffer from shame, anxiety, social segregation, and other health and social problems.
It is estimated that more than two million young women live with obstetric fistula in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
They feel powerless, are depressed, are physically injured and break down emotionally. Many are divorced and suffer social capital erosion.
Health is a human right, but much needs to be done to rescue women from fistula. They should get quality health care during pregnancy and delivery.