Statistics indicate that although an estimated 7,000 new cases occur annually, only about 200 are treated each year, leaving thousands of women to suffer in silence.  

This situation has prompted calls for urgent intervention, with Deputy Minority Leader, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, in a statement on the floor of the House, on Tuesday, urged government agencies to prioritise treatment for victims.  

Madam Appiagyei highlighted the plight of poor women who often cannot afford the cost of surgery.  

She explained that repairing fistula required about GHS 5,000, a sum beyond the reach of many rural women who experience the condition during childbirth.  

The Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Asokwa, noted that women in communities where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) was practiced were particularly vulnerable, as the harmful procedure increases the risk of fistula.   

She called on the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Mahama Care initiative to include fistula treatment in their packages, so victims can access care without financial barriers. 

Madam Appiagyei stressed that Parliament must champion awareness campaigns to educate communities about the causes, prevention, and treatment of obstetric fistula.  

She emphasised that awareness creation was critical to reducing stigma, as many women with fistula were ostracised due to the condition’s association with incontinence and shame.   

The Deputy Minority Leader urged stakeholders in the health sector to collaborate with civil society organizations to provide both medical and psychosocial support for affected women.  

She called for investment in training more surgeons and equipping Hospitals with the necessary tools to repair fistula, noting that the current capacity was woefully inadequate.   

Madam Appiagyei concluded by reaffirming her commitment to advocating for policies that protect women’s health, stressing that no woman should suffer lifelong damage simply because she gave birth.