Magdalena and Godlisten from Maternity Africa Hospital boarded a MAF flight in northern Tanzania to further spread awareness of fistula.
“Many people think they are bewitched because they have fistula,” said Magdalena Urassa, a social worker at Maternity Africa Hospital in Arusha.
Fistula remains a spiritualised taboo in many communities. Though it is a curable condition with reconstructive surgery, fistula is still robbing women of their health, communal value, and self-worth all around rural Tanzania.
“The most important thing is to create awareness of fistula,” Magdalena said.
MAF’s partner, Maternity Africa, is bringing change. A Christian-based not-for-profit organisation, Maternity Africa aims to provide fistula treatment and quality maternity care for all marginalised women throughout Tanzania. Their frequent fistula surgery ‘camps’ take place every three months, covering all patient expenses.
“I'm part of the outreach team,” said Godlisten Japheth, a midwife at Maternity Africa. Outreaches screen for women affected by fistula in hard-to-reach areas and provide education about the condition.
“I feel happy when we find someone with fistula and that person comes to receive treatment – to see them get healed, to be able to rejoin their families again,” Godlisten said.
Magdalena ensures the patients receive holistic care well beyond their current condition.
“I offer counselling and psychosocial support to the patients,” she said. “We also teach them entrepreneurship skills for them to be able to return home able to manage small businesses.”
But it is the MAF air service that gives local professionals access to communities that they could not otherwise reach. Eight-hour walks become 15-minute flights for the team visiting these locations.
Our biggest help is this clinic which MAF brings here.
Once a month, Same hospital sends out a medical team to run a maternity and child clinic in Lesirwai village. The clinic takes place under the slight shade of a thorny acacia tree. Mothers and children walk here to receive basic healthcare services, including fistula awareness and screening.
“Our biggest help is this clinic which MAF brings here,” said Jona Yako, a local Maasai from Lesirwai village. “The Same hospital is far away. When the clinic comes here, it provides support to our children and pregnant mothers who receive significant care.”
The remoteness and lack of transportation makes accessing healthcare difficult to people like Yisa Sai, a mother living in Lesirwai.
“To walk to Same takes a whole day,” Yisa said. “The motorcycle transport cost is too high.”
Yisa is heavily pregnant with her second child. She has come for a maternal check-up and to receive vaccinations for her three-year-old son.
Her friend Sifa Baraka has walked three hours with two young children, whilst pregnant, to be at the clinic. Preparing for the journey home, Sifa’s gratitude is genuine: “This clinic helps every mother.”
To walk to Same takes a whole day.
The education does not end here.
“These mothers here can become ambassadors to all women in their villages,” Magdalena said. She is aware that they are only scratching the surface with their outreaches.
By word of mouth, fistula awareness can grow exponentially. As more people gain access to the treatment, eventually the stigma of fistula can evaporate.