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. Les soins post-opératoires sont toutefois très importants et nécessitent un repos sous surveillance de plusieurs jours, suite à quoi la femme peut retrouver une vie normale, à condition également d’avoir l’accompagnement psychologique et social adéquat.