Elijah Obebo flags off the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula Walk at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital on May 23, 2025. [File, Standard]
Hundreds of women in West Pokot County are living in silent agony, trapped in leaking bodies and social isolation, as obstetric fistula continues to devastate their lives, health officials have revealed.
The condition, which causes uncontrollable leakage of urine or stool, has left many women abandoned, ashamed and excluded from family and social life, stripping them of dignity and the right to live normal sexual and family lives.
Speaking during a press briefing, health practitioners warned that fistula remains a major but neglected health crisis in the county, largely affecting poor, rural women who cannot afford treatment.
West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin said the disease has particularly affected young girls subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriages, practices he strongly condemned. “Fistula is no longer just a maternal health issue. It is a social and human rights crisis. We must urgently develop a county policy to address it,” said Kachapin.
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The governor said the county government will support affected women by organising free fistula surgeries, while also strengthening campaigns against FGM and early marriages.
Raising awareness
He urged women who give birth at home to always visit health facilities for postnatal care, noting that delays in seeking treatment are a major contributor to the condition.
County Executive Committee Member for Health, Claire Parkelea, said West Pokot still records a high number of fistula cases, but the county is implementing measures to reduce them.
“We still have many women suffering from fistula in this county. We are focusing on prevention, raising awareness, and improving access to treatment,” she said. According to fistula surgeon Dr Anthony Wanjala, Kenya has only 12 doctors trained to perform obstetric fistula surgery, making treatment slow and inaccessible for many patients.
“The cost of treating fistula is high, and facilities are limited. That is why many women live with this condition for years,” said Dr Wanjala.
He revealed that about 3,000 women develop fistula every year in Kenya, while in West Pokot alone, more than 300 women are affected, with around 30 new cases recorded monthly.
Although roughly 100 surgeries are performed annually, at least 200 women in the county remain at home waiting for treatment. Dr Wanjala described fistula as “a disease of poverty,” noting that most victims are women who cannot afford hospital deliveries or surgery.
“Most affected women are between 25 and 30 years old, and sometimes fistula even occurs during hospital deliveries, especially after prolonged and obstructed labour,” he said.
In some cases, fathers have had to take their daughters to hospital for fistula surgery after years of suffering. Dr. Munyunyu Dan said the main signs include constant leakage of urine or stool and a persistent bad smell, often leading to stigma and social rejection.
Health officials called on men to support their wives and daughters by ensuring they deliver in hospitals and seek treatment early.