About

Fistulas are a condition linked to a traumatic (sexual violence) or obstetrical event (poorly managed or complicated childbirth). Fistulas make a woman incontinent and effectively exclude her from society and her family.

The Congo is known for rape as a real “weapon of war”. While this scourge mainly affects eastern Congo, it is also present in all regions experiencing armed troop movements, as is the case in the Sankuru region.

This operation is complex and requires a lot of skills from the entire surgical team. The medical capacity to operate on this type of condition is therefore extremely limited, which is why women affected are often ready to travel very long distances to seek treatment.

The repair of fistulas has the advantage of requiring in principle only one intervention. Post-operative care is, however, very important and requires several days of supervised rest, after which the woman can return to a normal life, provided she also receives adequate psychological and social support.