Government Reaffirms Commitment to Eliminating Obstetric Fistula During Visit to KATH

Edited by Solomon Kwabena Nana-Ansah – Paaps – 

The Government of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to improving maternal healthcare and eliminating obstetric fistula through strengthened interventions under a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Speaking during a visit to the Obstetric Fistula Centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), the Minister of Health, on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, underscored the government’s determination to advance women’s health and ensure that no woman suffers the devastating consequences of preventable childbirth injuries.

The Minister described obstetric fistula as a preventable and treatable condition that remains unacceptable in modern healthcare systems. He stressed that no woman should survive childbirth only to endure lifelong disability, social exclusion, and stigma.

He noted that through the government’s Free Primary Healthcare initiative and the Mahama Medical Assistance and Referral Programme (MMARP), efforts are being intensified to promote early detection, timely referrals, and access to quality emergency obstetric care across the country.

Highlighting the broader maternal health challenge, the Minister revealed that for every maternal death recorded in Ghana, approximately 4.6 women experience life-threatening complications. Obstetric fistula, often caused by prolonged or obstructed labour, is frequently linked to delays in accessing healthcare, transportation difficulties, poverty, and inadequate access to skilled birth attendants.

According to him, these factors point to both health system and social challenges that require coordinated action from government, healthcare providers, development partners, and communities.

The Minister further indicated that Ghana’s Obstetric Fistula Prevention and Management Strategy, together with interventions led by the Partnership to End Fistula in Ghana (PEFIG), is helping to expand access to corrective surgery, public education, survivor support services, and strengthened primary healthcare systems.

He emphasized that every woman deserves respectful, safe, and dignified maternity care.

Addressing women awaiting fistula repair surgery, the Minister assured them of the government’s support and commitment to providing quality treatment, counselling, and reintegration services to help restore their dignity and improve their quality of life.

He added that Ghana’s partnership with UNFPA and other stakeholders is focused on shifting the national response from treatment to prevention, from stigma to dignity, and from tragedy to hope.

“Every woman deserves a safe birth, and every child deserves a healthy start in life. No woman should be left behind,” he stated.

The visit formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen maternal health services and accelerate progress towards eliminating obstetric fistula in Ghana.