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sanje District Health Office (DHO) says it has started offering fistula services to women and girls in the district. 

Speaking in an interview on Sunday, Nsanje District director of health and social services Dr. Gilbert Chapweteka said they trained health workers to help girls and women with fistula.

“Now women and girls with fistula condition can receive services at the district hospital unlike in the past when we used to refer them to Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, thereby spending more money on transportation,” he said.

Nsanje District Hospital now treats fistula conditions

Chapweteka said they plan to train more clinicians to treat women and girls with fistula.

One of the trained clinicians, Dominic Nyontho, a surgeon, said they have already treated one case.

“No patient will be referred to Bwaila Hospital again because we are now able to carry out the services at the district hospital,” he said.

Another trained healthcare worker, Noah Vizyalona, a nurse, asked Nsanje DHO authorities to schedule days to take the services to hard-to-reach areas such as Muona, Fatima, Nthondo, Misamvu and Makhanga.

Patient and Community Welfare Foundation public relations manager Amade Alide commended Nsanje DHO for the initiative, saying it is in line with universal health coverage.

“This initiative should be implemented in all districts in the country if we want to treat fistula cases,” he said.

Nsanje resident Ethel Malunga commended the DHO for introducing fistula services at the district hospital.

“However, we need non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders to conduct awareness campaigns on how women develop fistula and how the same can be avoided,” she said.

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