Life at Maternity Africa’s Kivulini Maternity Centre is extremely busy these days. We are seeing record numbers of women coming here to give birth safely (226 deliveries in September), and around 50 women have arrived or are on their way for the first ‘fistula camp’ of 2020.

A fistula camp is a period of intense activity, lasting 2-4 weeks, when women suffering from obstetric fistula are identified, transported to Kivulini Maternity Centre, screened, cared for pre-surgery, are operated on and cared for post-surgery, and transported home. Normally, Maternity Africa hosts four such camps each year. However, the pandemic halted fistula treatment for a few months this year, so there haven’t been any until now.

Dr Andrew Browning, AM, plans to join us next week, when he will be leading the surgeries and training local doctors in good clinical technique. He recently arrived in Ethiopia to operate there, after travelling from his home in Australia.

All being well, Maternity Africa will be able to reach and treat more women suffering from obstetric fistula and other birth-induced injuries into 2021 and beyond.

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