Photo: BSS

GAIBANDHA, Dec 17, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a function here today underscored 
the need for early identification of obstetric fistula patients to bring them 
under free treatment facilities to build fistula free Bangladesh by 2030. 

"Obstetric fistula is one of the most serious and tragic childbirth injuries. 
A hole between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, it is caused by 
prolonged, obstructed labour without access to timely, high-quality medical 
treatment," they also said.

They came up with the observations while addressing an advocacy meeting on 
fistula patient identification at the conference room of Civil Surgeon (CS) 
Office of the town this morning around 11am. 

LAMB Hospital located at Parbotipur upazila under Dinajpur district which 
works for searching obstetric fistula patients and then referral works by 
sending the patients to different hospitals including the government ones and 
LAMB Hospital for their recovery from the disease through performing need 
base repairing or surgery arranged the function under Elimination of Genital 
Fistula by Capturing, Treating, Rehabilitation and Reintegrating in 
Bangladesh (FRRei), project funded by UNFPA Bangladesh.

CS Dr. Rafiquzzaman presided over the function while Superintendent of 
Gaibandha General Hospital Dr. Md. Shahidullah and Deputy Director of 
Department of Family Planning here Md. Toriqul Islam addressed the function 
as the resource persons while Dr. Md. Shaheen Akter, field officer of UNFPA 
Bangladesh, moderated the ceremony.
 
The function was also addressed, among others, by Gobindaganj Upazila Health 
and Family Planning Officer Dr. Masudar Rahman, Upazila Family Planning 
Officer Abdul Zalil, Genie Consultant Dr. Tahera Akhter Moni, journalist 
Sarker Shahiduzzaman and district facilitator of LAMB Hospital Shariful Islam 
Sharif. 

The speakers in their speeches emphasized for ensuring institutional delivery 
in lieu of home delivery to avoid obstetric fistula disease.
 
As the obstetric fistula patients are fully cured from the disease through 
repairing, an emphasis should be given to identify such type of patients from 
the district and to bring them under treatment facilities being provided by 
Upazila Health Complex, Medical College Hospitals including LAMB Hospital to 
build fistula-free district within short time.
 
The issue to declare fistula-free Gobindaganj upazila here on December 23 was 
also discussed elaborately at the function. 

Dr. Md. Shaheen Akter, in his power point presentation, said as many as 174 
fistula patients had been identified through diagnosing. "All of them have 
recovered from the disease through repairing or surgery," he said, adding 
that a number of poor patients have also been brought under the 
rehabilitation programme of the project to help them earn economic profit 
through engaging themselves in income generating activity in a bid to run 
their families without hardship. 

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers, Upazila Family Planning 
Officers, Gynae consultants, Medical officers, Health and Family Planning 
staff attended the function.