BOGURA, Feb 14, 2023 (BSS) - Experts at an advocacy meeting today stressed on early diagnosis of obstetric fistula patients to bring them under cost-free treatments alongside ensuring institutional delivery of mothers to end the disease by 2030 next.
 
They viewed this at the advocacy meeting titled 'Fistula Management and Referral Center' held at the conference room of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura town, said a press release issued by LAMB at Parbatipur in Dinajpur today.
 
The Directorate General of Health Services and Lutheran Aid to Medicine in Bangladesh (LAMB) and UNFPA Bangladesh funded Elimination of Genital Fistula by Capturing, Treating, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating in Bangladesh (FRRei) project extended technical support in arranging the event.
 
Director of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital Brigadier General Dr. Md. Zulfiquer Alam presided over the event participated by 40 expert physicians of different departments of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
 
Principal of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Professor Dr. Rejaul Alam Jewel attended the event as the chief guest while Chief of Health of UNFPA Bangladesh Dr. Vibhavendra Singh Raghuvanshi was present as a special guest.
 
Dr. Md. Abdul Wadud, Dr. Akhteri Hossain Chowdhury, Technical Officer of UNFPA Bangladesh Dr. Animesh Biswas, its Field Officer Dr. Kaniz Fatema, Project Manager of LAMB FRRei project Mahtab Liton, among other experts addressed.
 
Technical Officer of UNFPA Bangladesh Dr. Animesh Biswas explained the current situation of female Genital Fistula, reasons behind the curable diseased, sufferings of fistula patients and ongoing cost-free treatment facilities in Bangladesh.
 
He discussed services being provided to fistula patients by LAMB Hospital, different medical college hospitals, district and upazila level hospitals, union level health service providing facilities in identifying and referral of fistula patients for treatments.
 
"If all patients are identified quickly through community level screening by health workers, then there is a definite possibility of planning how to operate those cases in the medical college hospitals," he added.
 
Dr. Raghuvanshi noted that Bangladesh is committed to end fistula by 2030 and UNFPA is assisting the government to ensure the target is met on time.
 
"There is a need for a centre or place at the departmental level, especially in medical college hospitals, where patients with fistula can be easily treated. In that case patients need not go outside the department for treatment," he said.
 
Dr. Alam mentioned that Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital has established a center for fistula operations so that every patient can be rehabilitated and will make every effort to continue fistula operation in the hospital.