Let us enhance the battle against obstetric fistula to restore health, dignity, and hope to our women

Joseph Ogutu, Chairman, Safaricom Foundation

Childbirth is often celebrated as a joyful and miraculous event, symbolising the beginning of a new life. Yet, for many women, particularly in Africa, this moment of joy is overshadowed by the risk of obstetric fistula, a preventable condition that has, for decades, deprived countless women of their health, dignity, and the ability to embrace motherhood fully.

Obstetric fistula is a devastating condition resulting from prolonged, obstructed labour without timely medical intervention. This leads to a hole between the birth canal and the bladder and/or rectum, causing a lack of bodily control.