THE wife of the Vice President, Mrs Samira Bawumia, has called for decisive and concerted efforts to address the scourge of obstetric fistula in Ghana to transform the lives of mothers and improve reproductive health in general.
She was speaking at the14th Gala Fund Raising Dinner of the Ghanaian Doctors and Dentists Association in the United Kingdom (GDDA-UK) at the Canary Wharf in the UK last Saturday.
The event, which was under the theme, “Global Health and Innovation”, and monitored by the Ghanaian Times was to raise money in aid of the Obstetric Fistula Fund (OFF) in Ghana.
Mrs Bawumia who was a special guest at the occasion, insisted that no woman or girl should be deprived of her dignity, hopes, and dreams because of obstetric fistula, a medical condition in which a hole develops in the birth canal as a result of delays at childbirth.
This can be between the private part and rectum, urethra or bladder, and can result in incontinence of urine or faeces.
Complications may include depression, infertility and social isolation.
Mrs Bawumia commended the GDDA-UK’s contribution to healthcare delivery in Ghana through its charity arm ‘Health for Ghana’, saying that the association’s contribution to healthcare delivery back home bore ample testimony to their strong sense of patriotism of the members.
She donated £5,000 to the association in support of its charitable healthcare programmes.
Dr Robert Cann, president of the GDDA-UK, said that the presence of Mrs Bawumia was a great honour for the GDDA-UK, and a clear indication of the growing recognition and appreciation of its efforts in official circles to support healthcare delivery back home.
Dr Paul Mensah, Secretary of GDDA-UK, called on all and sundry to support the Obstetric Fistula Fund to make significant impact on healthcare delivery in Ghana.
He re-affirmed the firm stance of the GDDA-UK to support the dedicated teams working to bring relief to women who suffered complications in child birth in Ghana, through reconstructive surgery.
The GDDA-UK is a charitable organisation formed on February 11, 2006, for all doctors and dentists of Ghanaian origin, ancestry or affiliation, and resident in the UK.
The association aims to speak with one voice for all members in various aspects of their lives and careers in the UK, who contribute to the health sector in Ghana.
Among the dignitaries present were Mrs Rita Tani Iddi, Deputy High Commissioner to the UK and other officials from the Ghana High Commission.
BY ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI
