HER STORY OF WINNING THE DISEASE
Hira Begum, a PPEPP-EU member who lives with her husband and only little son, was living with a health condition that silently affected her health, dignity and family life. During her pregnancy, poor nutrition and childbirth complications left her physically weak. Her delivery was conducted at home, labor became prolonged and obstructed, and she developed continuous and uncontrollable stool leakage through her birth canal after the delivery. This condition also deeply affected every aspect of her life.
The physical discomfort, fear, and social stigma gradually forced Hira into isolation. She avoided social interactions, and her condition placed significant emotional stress on her family life. Like many women affected by obstetric fistula, Hira did not know that her suffering was caused by a medical complication that could be successfully treated. Unable to afford treatment and unaware that her condition was treatable, she suffered in silence.
In 2024, Hira attended an obstetric fistula awareness and referral camp organised in Dacope Upazila, Khulna, by HEED Bangladesh, an implementing partner organisation of the PPEPP-EU project. During the camp, Hira was screened and learned for the first time that she was suffering from obstetric fistula- a serious but treatable childbirth-related condition.
Hira received free diagnostic services from the project and was referred to the Upazila Health Complex for further evaluation. After confirmation of the diagnosis, she underwent successful surgery with the project’s support and supervision. Now, Hira has fully recovered and returned to her normal life. Looking back on her difficult journey, she shared, “There was a time when I felt my family might fall apart, but the timely diagnosis, treatment, and support by the PPEPP-EU project gave me a new life with dignity.”
OBSTETRIC FISTULA: A TREATABLE MATERNAL HEALTH CHALLENGE
Hira’s story represents the experience of Bangladesh’s many women who suffer from obstetric fistula, from prolonged and obstructed labor that causes severe tissue damage, resulting in continuous leakage of urine, faeces, or both through the reproductive tract. According to the Bangladesh Maternal Mortality and Healthcare Survey 2016, around 42 women per 100,000 mothers suffer from obstetric fistula in Bangladesh.
Beyond the physical suffering, fistula often causes emotional distress, social isolation, and loss of dignity. The condition is more common among poor and extremely poor women who often face barriers such as a lack of awareness, financial limitations, and limited access to safe birth delivery and specialised healthcare services. Many women remain unaware that a fistula can be cured through surgery and continue suffering unnecessarily.
PPEPP-EU BRINGS HOPE AND CARE
Recognising this specific healthcare challenge faced by the poorest and most vulnerable women, the PPEPP-EU project organises obstetric fistula awareness, screening, and referral support as part of its Nutrition and Primary Healthcare interventions. Through its community-based awareness campaigns, the project aims to improve women’s knowledge of fistula symptoms, available treatment options, and the importance of seeking care without delay.
So far, 273 obstetric fistula awareness campaigns have been conducted under the project, reaching 11,088 women with critical information on the prevention, identification, and treatment of fistula. Through verbal screening, 1,450 women were identified as suspected fistula cases and referred to nearby referral centres for further diagnosis and treatment. Among them, 377 cases were confirmed as obstetric fistula, and 123 women have already returned to normal life after receiving appropriate fistula management services from referral hospitals. Through these efforts, the project has helped bring hidden cases into care, reduced stigma, and connected vulnerable women with services that can transform their lives.