DECEMBER 2006 NEWSLETTER
Click here for a message from the CEO - Mark Bennett
Click here for a message from Dr Andrew Browning
Click here for Ruth Kennedys' Australian visit and Fistula centre in the congo

Letter from Dr Catherine Hamlin AC

Dear Friends in Australia,
This is a special letter to wish you all a very happy Christmas, and much joy, health and peace in the new Year.

Ethiopian Christmas
Christmas here in the Ethiopian Church calendar is celebrated on the 7th January and very different from the one you will be celebrating on the 25th December. Here it varies, depending on where you live, but it is always a family gathering.

In Addis Ababa some of our western customs are being adopted, such as a Christmas tree (usually freshly felled). Some shops may be decorated, presents bought and given to children and adults, and always a special feast! But it is essentially a Christian festival, unfortunately slowly becoming commercialised. In the countryside, again, it is always a Christian celebration, when most of the peasant community go to the church, often the older people are there all night, others in the very early morning – to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and God. Children minding the animals on the hills and in the fields will hear the chanting and singing coming from the churches as the shepherds of old heard the angels celebrating the birth of the saviour. Then later in the day there will be special bread prepared. The little Tukul or house will be strewn with freshly cut green grass and if new clothes can be afforded these will be distributed mostly to the children at the main meal of the day, when meat or chicken, as a treat may be served.

Our poor fistula women would not be able to be at this family celebration – certainly too, she would not be able to go to church with urine leaking as this would be considered unclean and she herself would also feel shame. A kind person may bring her a special meal on this day, but it would be a sad and lonely day for her, as she would not join others from the village. So her sense of isolation would be extreme. Still, there are others who would not even know it was a special day, as their isolation has been for so long and so difficult that every day is the same long weary one to be endured.

At our Hospital, Christmas also is celebrated on 7th January. The ward is decorated with flowers and greenery, and a few decorations. Two cloth pictures of nativity scenes, donated by the World Vision Women’s club of Australia are placed on our Main ward nurses station. They are still as good as new and greatly appreciated by all.

Last year we had Mark and Annette Bennett’s children help with the giving out of the presents and they were wonderful. We hope to do the same again this year.

Prevention and Midwifery Training School
There is much on our minds at present, especially concerning the prevention of fistula injuries and the tragic loss of so many mothers and babies.

As you will know, about 8,000 women in Ethiopia every year suffer an obstetric fistula. A recent survey in rural Ethiopia revealed that at least 40,000 women have had the problem for some time. Even with our outreach Hospitals we can only treat, at present, about 1,800 per year. We are determined to try and stem this tide of suffering.

The Fistula Hospital is already participating in safe-motherhood teaching programs, and constantly raising awareness of the problem. Now we are planning to implement an ambitious intensive training program in midwifery. We will do this as soon as possible. Extra funds will have to be raised which we will use first for the training of suitable girls from the countryside. They will learn the skills of midwifery by having a planned curriculum and qualify with suitable certification approved by the Ethiopian Health Ministry.

The initial need is to find a place where training can be done. We are looking at plans to set up a training centre at Desta Mender. As an alternative we are negotiating to obtain extra land situated below the Addis Ababa hospital towards the river. There is already a building on the land that we could use and renovate.

Our overall objective is to have trained midwives, employed by the Hospital and working under supervision from each of our five “Fistula Centres”. This is a big long-term project, it will be costly and take some years before benefits are seen.

Resident doctor appointed to Mekelle Centre
On the 1st October we welcomed Dr Melaku to work at our Mekelle Centre.
However he is with us for a month at Addis Ababa doing an advanced training course in fistula surgery, so that he will be well equipped to run our centre at Mekelle.

Dr Melaku is an Obstetrician and gynaecologist who has been working as the medical director of Adigrat Hospital, which is a small regional hospital to the North of Mekelle. He has had many years experience and the regional health authorities were happy to allow him this opportunity as he will be staying in the region, and continue to be a resource for them. Dr Melaku has a wife and children and they have just bought a house in Mekelle! The children will also be able to go to a better school than was available for them at Adigrat.

We have also employed a health officer and will begin spreading information about obstetric fistula throughout the countryside. We will then have local organisations able to spread the word and locate and transport patients. Our Australian fund has agreed to provide the vehicles now needed for the doctor to visit more remote areas.

Patients now coming from Somalia
We almost need a Somali interpreter as we have so many patients now coming from that war torn country in the south. They usually arrive in groups of 6-8 at a time. These women often have very shocking injuries. Some have scarring from the severe type of circumcision that is practiced in that country, but fortunately is not the case in Ethiopia.

Once again I send all our friends in Australia my warmest greetings and my love especially those who have been to visit us this year, we have all enjoyed meeting you here at the Hospital and hope many more of you will visit us next year.

Catherine Hamlin