The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has established four Hamlin Fistula Centres which are strategically located in highly populated regional areas adjacent to existing government hospitals.
The four centres are located at Bahir Dar, Mekelle, Harar and Yirgalem. The fifth centre, in Metu, is currently under construction and will be completed during 2010.
Strategy
The Hospital’s strategy in establishing the Hamlin Fistula Regional Centres is to:
- provide rural women suffering from obstetric fistula with access to medical help
- treat more women suffering from obstetric fistula
- educate the local population about safe birthing practices and the causes of obstetric fistula
- locate women who are hidden away and ostracised because of obstetric fistula
- reduce maternal morbidity and mortality
- reduce the incidence of obstetric fistula and still births in rural Ethiopia
Fistula Centre Activities
Each fistula centre carries out the following activities:
- Patient surgery, care and rehabilitation – treatment is free
- Physiotherapy and patient counselling
- Teaching in health, literacy, numeracy and handicrafts
- Employment and training of Health Extension Workers (HEWS) who:
- promote maternal health and fistula awareness
- distribute safe birthing kits, supplied by Zonta, and nutritional supplements
- partner with regional health bureaus and local NGO’s
- transport patients to the centres for treatment
Facilities at each fistula centre
Each Hamlin Fistula Centre has been specially designed and has a:
- main ward
- operating theatre with two operating tables
- interview/examination room
- kitchen
- laundry
- teaching room
- physiotherapy room
- handicrafts room
All the centres have beautifully landscaped gardens which provide a peaceful and healing environment which is an important aspect of the Hamlin approach to holistic treatment.
Staff
All of the Hamlin Fistula Centres have high standards of treatment and care and are staffed by specially trained doctors skilled in fistula surgery as well as nurses and nurse aides. The nurse aides are all former patients of the Hospital who have been trained by the Hospital and who have personally experienced the terrible trauma of the patients they are now treating.
