Tema, July 24, GNA - The Country Director of Pathfinder International, a non governmental organisation (NGO) engaged in reproductive health issues, Professor Andrew Arkutu, on Monday called for the training of more local doctors to repair fistula cases, which according to him, is on the increase.

He said most doctors lacked developed skills to handle fistula cases and thus make their patients to lose trust in them. "There have been many women with fistula who had undergone operation so many times just to have it repaired and still have the problem. Such women do not have the trust and the urge to see any doctor again," Prof. Arkutu said when United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) together with Pathfinder visited the Mercy Ship, which arrived at the port of Tema on June 2, this year to provide medical care services to Ghanaians.

Fistula is a hole that occurs between the bladder and vagina, or rectum and vagina through childbearing resulting in the continuous flow of urine, faeces or both.

The ship, which will leave Ghana in February next year, is providing surgical services for patients with cleft-lip, cleft palate, disfiguring and debilitating burns, as well as blinding cataracts, crossed-eyes and outsized tumors.

Prof. Arkutu commended the UNFPA for sponsoring two Ghanaian surgeons and two nurses to study fistula repairs and in turn train other colleagues.

Dr Makane Kane, Country Director of UNFPA in Ghana, said in collaboration with the UNFPA, his organisation had organised about 40 women with fistula to undergo repairs on the Mercy Ship and commended officials of the Ship for their humanitarian services.

He said fistula was preventable and treatable but because of the stench associated with it, many women turned to hide it.

Dr Kane believes that prevention and treatment were the key tools to end fistula to make pregnancy and childbirth moments of joy. He said there was therefore the need to intensify family planning education to avert fistula cases.

Ms Jean Campbell, Health Care Manager of the Ship, who conducted the visiting team round said about 2,000 people were screened out of which 600 were booked for various kind of surgeries and that 20 fistula cases were repaired.

She expressed happiness that the Ship was in Ghana to offer free medical services to people with stigmatising conditions often relegated to the background.

An obstetric study on fistula in Ghana reveals that between 100,000 and 150,000 expectant women suffer from the disease with young girls being the most affected.