Akech Deng (left), Fistula Coordinator at Juba Teaching Hospital, and Lina William, Senior Nurse at Juba Teaching Hospital and also one of management team at the Fistula Centre. | Photo: Donna Imanya/Eye Radio

A health official at Juba Teaching Hospital is appealing to the government to train obstetricians and gynecologists to treat increasing fistula cases in the country.

Akech Deng, the Fistula Coordinator at Juba Teaching Hospital said the country does not have many fistula surgeons and hires specialists from outside the country.

“The only challenge that we face is we don’t have a doctor trained in South Sudan. One South Sudanese is currently under training and is left with some month, but we are hiring doctors from outside,” Deng said on Eye Radio’s Zone 72 youth program on Saturday.

Zone 72 Youth Program is a weekend talk-show sponsored by the Canadian Association of Midwives, South Sudan Ministry of Health, SSNAMA, Shabab le Shabab, and UNFPA South Sudan.

Deng urges the government to train specialists in reproductive health so that the country does not rely on foreign doctors.

“So, we need to inform our government so that it can train obstetricians and gynecologists so that we can have more fistula surgeons in South Sudan.”

He also said the public hospital in the capital has registered 12 fistula cases in one month, apart from cases in the states.

“As I speak with you, the number of fistula cases is increasing daily. We finished surgery in April and we already have 12 new patients registered plus the number still to be sent from the states.

He adds: “So, this is a great challenge. We need to do capacity building on our doctors.”

Deng also said other challenges facing fistula fight are related to poor roads and communication networks in the remoter parts of the country.

“Sometimes, there are places where there is no radio, and they cannot access information, so it is difficult to track clients in that area. The issue of floods and bad roads is also making it difficult.”

“So, we are appealing to our government to establish roads and communication networks in the remote areas.”

A fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway that connects two organs or vessels that do not usually connect.

Officials estimate that more than 60,000 South Sudanese women suffer from obstetric fistula, a preventable medical condition in which a hole develops between the birth canal and one or more of the woman’s internal organs.

In many cases of obstetric fistula, the condition is caused by prolonged obstructed labor, which is also a leading cause of maternal mortality.