Malawi wants specific wards for fistula patients
Malawi’s Deputy Minister of Health Halima Daudi has said she will consider the possibilities of having a specific ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) dedicated to treating fistula patients in Malawi.
Daudi said this on today (Thursday) in Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre during the commemoration of the first International Fistula Day.
“We will sit at the ministry level and see the possibilities of having specific wards. We believe this will help in making sure that a number of fistula patients in the country are getting treatment,” she says.
What Daudi said was in response to QECH director Dr Andrew Gonani who asked for the need to have a centre of excellence at the hospital.
“Currently, the camps we use to treat the problem are too restrictive in terms of patients, we admit. We are not able to admit more. If we can have a centre within the hospital, it would quite a giant step towards addressing the fistula problem,” he said.
In his speech, UNFPA country resident, Athanase Nzokirishaka, said though opportunity exists to mentor clinicians, not many are interested or motivated to carry our fistula repairs.
“Furthermore, fistula patients do not appear on the normal theatre list of most hospitals in Malawi,” he said.
Daudi, in response, promised to look into the issue so that a permanent solution is found.
The commemoration began with a big walk from Kamuzu Upper Stadium to the QECH where before the function outside the hospital, the minister toured the Fistula camp at Gogo Chatinkha Ward.
