JUBA — The minister of Gender, Child, and Social Welfare, Angelina Mario, has urged parents and communities to protect girls from early marriage and pregnancy, warning that childbirth at a young age can expose girls to serious health complications, including obstetric fistula.
The minister made the remarks during the launch of the first obstetric fistula treatment campaign at Kiir Mayardit Women’s Hospital in Lakes State, where more than 50 women had arrived by Tuesday seeking treatment.
Mario also called for an end to harmful beliefs and stigma surrounding fistulas, urging communities to recognize the condition as a medical complication that requires treatment and support—not as a punishment, curse, or reason to reject or isolate women.
Dr. Akech Deng Khon, the National Fistula Coordinator at the Ministry of Health, said South Sudan is estimated to have more than 60,000 women and girls living with obstetric fistula, while fewer than 1,000 fistula surgeries are performed annually across the country.
Deng said 266 fistula patients underwent surgery nationwide between January and August this year, highlighting the significant gap between the number of women requiring treatment and the country’s current capacity to provide specialized services.
He said more than 57 women had arrived for treatment during the Lakes State campaign.
According to Deng, the national fistula response focuses on three key areas: prevention, treatment, and social reintegration.
He stressed that treatment should not end with surgery, noting that patients also require post-operative care and support to help them return safely to their families and communities.
Dr. Amodu Raheem, Project Manager at Doctors with Africa CUAMM, explained that obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening that can develop between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, usually as a result of prolonged or obstructed labor without timely medical intervention.
The condition can cause continuous leakage of urine or feces, often resulting in serious physical, emotional, and social consequences.
“This is a medical condition,” Raheem said, stressing that women and girls affected by fistula should not be blamed, stigmatized, or isolated.
He said women living with fistula may experience social rejection, isolation, marital difficulties, and severe psychological distress. Fear and embarrassment also prevent many affected women from seeking treatment, he added.
Raheem urged communities to understand that women living with fistula need medical attention, compassion, and social support rather than discrimination.
He also called on families, community leaders, and local authorities to help identify women affected by the condition and refer them to health facilities for appropriate care.
Raheem said more than 50 women from across Lakes State had reported to Kiir Mayardit Women’s Hospital by Tuesday morning to be assessed and treated.
The women were mobilized from the state’s eight counties, with transportation provided free of charge to enable women from remote areas to access the campaign.
He said three surgeries were performed on the first day, with medical teams confirming the cases as obstetric fistulas. Some of the cases were described as complex and required specialized surgical expertise.
