Fistula Foundation (USA - Democratic Republic of Congo)
Fistula Foundation is dedicated to eradicating the suffering caused by obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury affecting at least one million women globally. Fistula causes lifelong incontinence that results in social isolation, but with proper treatment, women can reclaim their health and lives. Fistula Foundation has partnered with 70+ local surgical teams, hospitals, and organisations in 33 countries across Sub-Sahara Africa and South Asia to provide 75,000+ women with free, holistic fistula treatment.
They are committed to helping women in the short term by providing as many cost-free surgeries as possible, and in the long term, through their evidence-based Fistula Foundation Treatment Networks (FFTNs) that increase access to timely, quality treatment and comprehensive post-operative care across a country.
With access to care in more places, women with fistula no longer wait for years to undergo surgery and are less likely to travel long distances to receive high-quality treatment.
In 2023/24, the Eurofins Foundation is financially contributing to the Lomami Province Fistula Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This project will increase access to comprehensive fistula treatment in Lomami Province by building the capacity of local health providers to establish high-quality, routine care in provincial health facilities. Lomami Province is a rural, hard-to-reach area in the DRC. It lacks infrastructure and access to basic healthcare, resulting in disproportionately high maternal deaths and morbidities, such as fistula.
Currently, only a few dozen women with fistula are treated during surgical camps in the province 1-2 times per year.
Fistula Foundation, in partnership with the Panzi Hospital, aims to establish a locally driven treatment network that provides comprehensive, routine fistula care to women in Lomami. They will achieve this by focusing on local healthcare provider training, mentorship, and community outreach in three health zones within the province.
This project contributes to the following United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal
