Women with fistula in Vihiga county will receive free healthcare for a year.
The county has signed a deal with Fistula Foundation to supply medicines at Vihiga County Referral Hospital.
“We have decided to incorporate the service within other services at the referral hospital so that those who come for the service are not identified,” said hospital medical superintendent Dr Vitalis Juma.
He said this is to help prevent stigma.
“Patient identity at such a point is key because anything that will reveal their identity [will make them shy away],” Juma said.
Fistula mostly happens due to prolonged or obstructed labour, injury during pelvic surgery, infection, and inflammation and radiation treatment in the pelvic or genital areas.
Juma said they will reimburse the fare of fistula patients who visit the hospital.
He said Vihiga has a large number of patients struggling with the condition but living in fear.
Juma said 10 people have already undergone surgery while seven others have been scheduled for operation.
“One of the technical problems we are experiencing at the moment is poor publicity among the communities,” he said.
To counter this, Juma said, they have engaged community health volunteers to reach sufferers at the grassroots and refer them to Mbale Referral Hospital.
Edited by Josephine M. Mayuya
