Economic burden of obstetric fistula among patients in the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Nigeria

Background: Obstetric fistula (OF) continues to be a major health problem in developing countries such as Nigeria. It is a communication between the vagina and bladder/rectum following prolonged obstructed labor that leads to urine/and fecal leakage per vaginam. There is a paucity of information on cost of accessing care by women with OF. Objective: The study was to evaluate the cost implications of accessing care and treatment among women with OF in the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Ningi Bauchi, state. Materials and Methods: A prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach was employed in this study to estimate the cost of fistula treatment from the patients' perspective. Data on costs of health-care utilization of services rendered to the patients in the facility and indirect costs were estimated. The data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS V21). Results: A total of 75 women participated in the study. The total costs incurred by all the 75 patients amounted to Nigerian Naira (NGN) 8211640.00 (USD 26923.41). The average cost of accessing care for fistula per patient was NGN109488.50 (USD 358.98). Direct cost accounted for 5751740.00 (USD 18858.16), whereas the indirect cost was 2785600.00 (USD9133.11). There was a significant difference in cost of care between patients that were teenagers compared to those who were not (P = 0.04) and the type of treatment (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The cost of illness of OF is high in the studied area, and the patients are from the low socioeconomic background. Both the direct and indirect costs were high relative to the national minimum wage in Nigeria. The age of the patients and the type of treatment received by the patient accounted for the differences in cost of illness between the patients.

Risk factors, ascribed causes and effects of obstetric fistula among women in northern Ghana: a case control studies

Background: Obstetric fistula is a demoralizing maternal morbidity. In Ghana, majority of the fistula occur in the northern sector. This study sought to identify the risk factors, ascribed causes and effect of obstetric fistula. Methods: A matched case control study was conducted from April to June 2013. The fistula patients were taken from the Fistula Centre in Tamale whiles the controls were from the Tamale Teaching hospital. Eligible cases were confirmed fistula patients admitted for fistula repair while controls were women who have delivered but without obstetric fistula. Cases and controls were matched on year, region and district of index delivery. Results: the following factors were associated with obstetric fistula; age below 20 years, total labour duration more than 24 hours, height 150 cm and below, still birth, operative delivery, residence in a rural area and lack of formal education. Divorce rate among cases over the period was 55.3% while that among the controls was 2.3%. About 20% of cases were likely to be currently using alcoholic beverages compared to 6% in controls (OR=5.3, 95% CI= 1.4 ­19.7). 40% of cases currently have no living child compared to 2% of controls. Majority of fistula patients blame lack of health facilities and an act of God as a cause of fistula. Conclusions: Majority of women who suffer obstetric fistula are young, poor, of short stature, illiterate and resident in remote areas. There is widespread lack of understanding of the causes of Obstetric fistula among women

Fistules urogenitales: etude epidemiologique et clinique dans deux hopitaux generaux du district de la Tshopo; Kisangani-RDC

Introduction : Les fistules vesico-vaginales et recto-vaginales; veritable humiliation pour la femme; constituent un probleme majeur de Sante Publique de par sa forte prevalence principalement pour les pays pauvres (Afrique sub-saharienne et Asie du Sud-est). Dans cette etude; notre objectif a ete d'evaluer l'ampleur des fistules genito-urinaire et rectales a Kisangani et ses environs et d'en ressortir les causes ainsi que les caracteristiques des fistuleuses. Materiel et methodes : Une etude descriptive transversale retrospective basee sur l'analyse documentaire a ete menee dans les Hopitaux Generaux de Reference de Makiso-Kisangani (a Kisangani) et de Banalia (a Banalia) du 29 Aout au 08 Novembre 2013; apres sensibilisation des femmes par l'UNFPA. Resultats : La frequence des fistules genitourinaires et rectales a ete de 0;005 dans la ville de Kisangani et de 0;012 a Banalia soit une frequence globale de 0;008 soit 8 cas pour 1000 femmes survenant chez les femmes agees de 20 a 34 ans(45;61) avec des extremes d'age de 5 a 75 ans. 54;38 d'entr'elles etaient Mariees; 63;16 menageres; 80;71 de bas niveau d'instruction. Les femmes habitant les milieux peripheriques ou eloignes des centres hospitaliers ont ete les plus nombreuses soit 69;6 pour Kisangani et 67;6 pour Banalia. Les fistules souvent obstetricales (85;91) lors des accouchements a domiciles (50;8) etaient le plus souvent de type simple (57;89); a leur premiere reparation (52;63) et evoluant depuis de 2 mois a 55 ans. Les fistules traumatiques dues au viol a represente 1 ;75. La prise en charge a ete chirurgicale essentiellement basse dans 84;21 de cas avec un taux de succes de 82;46. Conclusion : La lutte contre les accouchements a domicile et les conflits armes et l'organisation des campagnes de prise en charge des fistuleuses constituent des strategies majeures de riposte contre les fistules vaginale

Diagnosis and Management of Ureterovaginal Fistula in a Resource-Constrained Setting: Experience at a District Hospital in Northern Nigeria

During 2007 we were invited at different times to review and manage four women with ureterovaginal fistula following caesarean section performed in different rural hospitals. We describe our experience of a simple technique of diagnosis and management of these indigent patients in a resource-constrained hospital. The condition was diagnosed by the three-swab test in all four patients; and abdominopelvic ultrasound was employed to help find the ureter involved. Transvesical ureteral implantation with a stent was carried out. Stent was removed after 2 weeks. All four patients were dry. Amidst the complexity of and sophistication of modern health care; it is important to remind ourselves of the common occurrence of this distressing condition following caesarean section and the use of a well known simple diagnostic technique and subsequent management in resource-poor communities

Bilan retrospectif des fistules urogenitales obstetricales de 2001 a 2003 au Burkina Faso

Pour analyser les fistules urogenitales au Burkina Faso en vue de la mise en place d'un programme national; une etude transversale a visee quantitative et qualitative en janvier 2004 a ete realisee dans les formations sanitaires de reference. L'etude quantitative a analyse les donnees disponibles sur les annees 2001; 2002 et 2003. L'etude qualitative a permis d'interviewer des femmes vivant avec la fistule et les responsables des services de sante. Au cours des 3 ans sur environ 1 500 000 accouchements attendus dans le pays; 347 cas de fistules ont ete identifies soit un taux d'incidence de 23;1 pour 100 000 accouchements (IC a 9520;8 - 25;7). Les femmes avec fistules etaient jeunes et surtout sans emploi remunere avec des antecedents de dystocie a l'accouchement. Les fistules etaient le plus souvent recentes; de tailles petites ou moyennes et localisees au niveau de la cloison vesico-vaginale. Les resultats de la chirurgie etaientmarques par un taux d'echec de l'ordre de 17;5. Quatre femmes sur 12 interviewees ont declare avoir ete abandonnees par le conjoint. Sur 47 hopitaux visites; seulement 4 avaient un personnel qualifie pour la realisa- tion de la prise en charge quotidienne des fistules. Une organisation non gouvernementale aidait les patientes pour l'obtention de soins. Un atelier national de validation a permis de faire des propositions pour l'amelioration de la situation. Les resultats montrent la necessite de la mise en place d'un programme national qui devrait etre evalue pour voir les acquis obtenus apres cette etude

Cotrimoxazole (septrin) prophylaxis in the management of vesico-vaginal fistulae in Ilorin; Nigeria

In a 5-year period (1986-1990) 83 Nigerian women with mid vaginal vesico-vaginal fistulae (VVF) were treated in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; Ilorin; Nigeria. None of the patients had previous antibiotic therapy before this study. 30 patients received cotrimoxazole (Trimethoprim 80mg; sulphamethoxazole 400mg) two tablets twice daily for 7 days before surgery without sterile urine preparation; 27 similar patients had the same treatment only after surgery; while 26 other patients who had sterile urine preparation before surgery were not given any antibiotics after surgery