Like other Sub-Saharan countries, Kenya has many fistula cases. Recent estimates reveal that 4 out of 1,500 deliveries cause fistula. Based on these figures, there are 56,000 new cases each year, with only 7.5% of them accessing surgical treatment.
Fistula is treatable through surgical intervention. Thus, it’s not humanly and medically acceptable that despite these many treatment opportunities, most women and girls living with obstetric fistula continue to suffer the devastating consequences. For instance, most patients isolate themselves because of the constant foul odor and deep misperceptions about fistula. Lack of awareness in rural communities about the availability of free surgical treatment opportunities also increase fistula cases in Kenya.
Let’s End Fistula Initiative provides unprecedented access to holistic care for even the hardest-to-reach women and girls throughout Western Kenya. We reach these women through our established network of trained Regional Representatives (the majority being fistula survivors) who serve as educators and maternal health advocates.
The Representatives educate rural communities about fistula being a reproductive and a childbirth injury. They also spread the good news of available free treatment opportunities, identify fistula patients, and arrange for their transport to the treatment facility. LEFI links fistula patients with Fistula treatment sites as one of its strategic goals.
Our motto is: we go to them; they don’t come to us.
Let’s End Fistula Initiative is providing unprecedented access to holistic care for even the hardest-to-reach women and girls throughout Western Kenya through the established network of trained Regional Representatives (majority being fistula survivors) who serve as educators and advocates for maternal health. They educate rural communities about fistula being a reproductive and a childbirth injury, spread the good news of availability of free treatment opportunities, identify fistula patients and arrange for their transport to the treatment facility. LEFI serves as link between fistula patients with Fistula treatment sites as one of its strategic goal, our models is; we go to them, they don’t come to us.
