More than 6 million women in the country suffer from obstetric fistula according to a new report by Amref health Africa.
The organisation said on Monday that most of those affected fail
to
seek medical attention due to stigma and shame associated with the condition.
In Siaya alone, the NGO said that 3,000 women are suffering from the disease.
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This was revealed during a
medical camp in the county.
Shortage of trained staffs to conduct surgical repairs and lack of modern equipment makes the treatment more intricate.
According to the Amref project manager John Kutna, the condition is common to women between the ages of 17 to 70 years.
"Out of the 3,000 women in the county suffering, only 37 managed to go through successful surgeries," Kutna said.
The condition is caused by obstructed or prolonged labour due to lack of skilled healthcare.
More cases are reported in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
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Kutna regretted that the condition is a menace in Kenya because the surgeries are expensive for most rural women.
“Those who are greatly affected are women from the poor background who are not able to foot bills of emergency obstetric complications in better facilities,” Kutna noted.
He said the Amref project is also replicated in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Tanzania with the financial support from the government of Canada through global affairs office in Canada.
Kutna further said Siaya being one of the counties’ leading in maternal and child mortality there is a need for the county to fully focus on improving the health of women and children.
“With 6 million women with fistula in the country there is the need for timely and adequate measures from the countries apart from the donor aid,” Kutan said.
Kutna said they are going to set up a Vesicovaginal fistula/ Rectovaginal fistula facility at Siaya county referral hospital and Bondo Sub-county hospital to reduce the rate of the disease.