Australia Provides Support For Maternal Health in Africa

Australia will provide further support to Ethiopia’s Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, which treats women with the debilitating condition, obstetric fistula.

The Fistula Hospital – established in 1974 by two Australian doctors, Reginald and Catherine Hamlin – is now treating more than 1,300 of the approximately 8,000 – 9,000 new cases in Ethiopia every year. It also provides training for medical personnel in Africa and from other developing countries.

Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, praised the efforts of the Hamlins and their dedicated staff, when he met with Catherine Hamlin in Canberra today.

‘The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital and its satellite centres make a significant difference to the lives of thousands of women every year,’ said Mr McMullan.

‘The Australian Government’s support for the work of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital also clearly demonstrates our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, which identify maternal and child health and mortality as issues of great concern for many developing countries.’

Of the estimated 2.9 million pregnant women in Ethiopia, three in every 1,000 develop an obstetric fistula which often results in social exclusion and family rejection.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than two million women are living with fistula in developing countries and that up to 100,000 new cases occur each year.

The figures are based only on the number of women seeking treatment, and are likely to be gross underestimates. In areas with high maternal mortality, fistula may occur at a rate of two to three cases per 1,000 pregnancies.

‘We will provide $2 million over the next two years to the Hamlin Fistula International Foundation to help fund ongoing costs of the hospital. This will bring Australia’s support for the hospital to more than $5.7 million since 1993,’ Mr McMullan said.

Australian funding has been used for various activities associated with the hospital, to upgrade facilities including an operating theatre, building extensions, staff accommodation, a library and pathology support. The hospital offers services for women with childbirth injuries – mainly obstetric fistula as a result of prolonged labour.

Source: Relief Web – 12 March 2008

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