The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital

The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital helps women with Fistula injuries - a sanctuary and a haven, where they are welcomed and restored.

Although Drs Reg and Catherine Hamlin commenced fistula surgery in the early 1960's, the first ward of the fistula hospital was not built until 1974.

Dr Catherine Hamlin AC
Dr Catherine Hamlin AC is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. She was made a Companion of Australia in 1995, the highest Australian award.

Administration
The Hospital is administered by a registered Trust in Ethiopia. Dr Catherine Hamlin AC is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Senior Consultant in Surgery. Dr Mulu, a world authority on Fistula surgery, is the Medical Director at present. Mrs Genet Kifle, who joined the staff 10 years ago from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, is the Financial Administrator.

Training of doctors and nurses
The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is an International training Centre for fistula surgery. Doctors from all over the world where obstetric fistulae occur, come to the Hospital for training. Graduates from the Addis Ababa University, in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, are trained at the Hospital.

Extended work of the Hospital
A mobile medical team visits outlying, remote centres of Ethiopia to attend fistula patients. The Fistula Hospital is planning to build and staff five new "Hamlin Fistula Centres" in the grounds of five regional hosptials in more remote areas of Ethiopia.

The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is the only hospital in the world that specialises in fistula surgery. It has a success rate of 93%. Up until 2005 approximately 1,200 to 1,400 patients were being treated each year. With the new centres this will increase to 2000 in 2006 and when all five centres are full operational, they will be able to treat 4000 to 5000 patients annually. Over 24,000 women have been cured since the work began. All are treated free of charge.

Dr Ambaye Wolde Michael, specialist in fistula surgery	Dr Andrew Browning - skilled in fistula surgery and in demand world wide.	Dr Mulu	Mrs Genet Kifle