M-PESA Foundation and Partners to Host Free Fistula Camp in Kiambu County

The week-long medical camp will provide free medical advice, treatment, and surgeries to 30 patients, totaling a cost of KES 4 million.

Kiambu, 12^th June 2024

Thirty women living with fistula are expected to benefit from free surgeries and medical advice during a week-long medical camp at Thika Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu County.

M-PESA Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Kiambu County Government, Flying Doctors’ Society of Africa, and Amref Health Africa, organised the free fistula camp and invested KES 4 million as part of its Integrated Fistula Programme, which is set to run for two years.

“We are aware of the power of strategic partnerships to achieve the SDGs, and our collaboration with Flying Doctors’ Society of Africa and Amref Health Africa is a true testament to this. We have impacted over 1,000 women living with fistula in eight counties through treatment and free reconstructive surgeries since we kicked off this programme in 2021. As we work towards impacting 1,000 more women, it is important for women to get regular screening and take advantage of such camps to receive free treatment,” said Nicholas Ng’ang’a, M-PESA Foundation Chairman.

The Foundation aims to impact 1,000 women by the end of this year as it affirms its efforts to restore dignity in the community. The Integrated programme, themed "Restoring Dignity of Women & Girls in Kenya," aims to contribute to the elimination of obstetric fistula in Kenya by 2030 by enhancing the national capacity to treat fistula cases and address the underlying health, socio-economic, cultural, and human rights determinants.

In addition to direct medical intervention, the M-PESA Foundation is working on upgrading hospitals and healthcare facilities to better monitor and treat fistula cases promptly, therefore ultimately reducing the prevalence of fistula.

“Flying Doctors’ Society of Africa is dedicated to restoring the dignity of women and girls in Kenya, contributing to the United Nation’s goal of eradicating fistula in the country by 2030. We know we can only achieve this through collaboration, and we are grateful for the role M-PESA Foundation has played in making the Integrated Fistula Programme a success. Our role is to address the socio-economic, cultural, and mental health factors perpetuating this condition and to restore the dignity, health, and mental well-being of women and girls affected by fistula,” said Tanya Nduati, CEO, Flying Doctors’ Society of Africa.

Timely access to quality emergency obstetric care and the presence of trained health professionals with midwifery skills during childbirth is the most cost-effective way to reduce maternal mortality and morbidities such as fistula.