The Deputy Minority Leader and Chairperson of Parliament’s Caucus on Population and Development, Patricia Appiagyei, has called for intensified efforts to eliminate obstetric fistula in Ghana, as the country joined the global community to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.

Presenting a statement on the floor of Parliament, the Asokwa MP described obstetric fistula as a serious childbirth injury that occurs mainly as a result of prolonged obstructed labour without timely access to emergency obstetric care.

According to her, the condition causes an abnormal opening between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, often leaving affected women and girls suffering from chronic incontinence and severe social stigma.

Appiagyei noted that an estimated 12,000 women and girls in Ghana are currently living with the debilitating condition, highlighting the urgent need for increased intervention and support.

She urged the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to significantly expand the country’s fistula repair programme, increasing the number of surgeries performed annually from the current 200 cases to more than 2,000.

The Deputy Minority Leader also called on development partners, civil society organisations, traditional leaders and local communities to intensify public education on obstetric fistula, tackle stigma against survivors, and support efforts aimed at restoring the dignity of affected women.

She stressed that ending obstetric fistula requires a coordinated national response and renewed commitment from all stakeholders to ensure that no woman or girl suffers from a preventable and treatable condition.