Five new "Hamlin Fistula¨ Centres" are being built over a period of 5-10 years. Three are already completed at Bahr Dar, Mekelle and Yirgalem. Two others, one at Harer and the other at Metu will be constructed in 2007 - 2008.

Dr Hamlin said recently:
"We are embarking on the most extensive development program since 1974. We want to be able to cure many more fistula patients and to help this dreadful problem from occurring."

Why is there a need?
The countryside in Ethiopia is mountainous with deep ravines. Roads are few. A destitute fistula patient has extreme difficulty reaching a bus. Then she may not be able to travel on the bus because she is "smelly" and leaking urine. To make the trip to Addis Ababa on foot or being carried on a stretcher is a marathon epic.

Of the estimated 8,000 to 9,000 women who suffer an obstetric fistula each year in Ethiopia, at present only about 1,400 are able to get to the Fistula Hospital for treatment. The question is, "what happens to the others?" Do they live with the problem? Or do many die of infection?

The plan
Over a period of five to ten years, the Addis Abada Fistula Hospital will build a "Hamlin Fistula¨ Centre" in the grounds of the existing regional hospitals, in five selected strategic locations.

These centres are north, south, east and west of Addis Ababa in areas where it is known that numerous fistula cases occur.

The mobile medical teams from the Fistula Hospital have for the last 4-5 years been visiting the centres that have been chosen. In most of the towns there is a doctor who has had some training at the Fistula Hospital.

The Five Selected Towns

At Bahr Dar - the first new Hamlin Fistula¨ Centre
This town is situated on the southern tip of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile. Over the years, many patients from this area have been making the difficult journey to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital for treatment.

The Regional Ministry of Health gave the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital a parcel of land within the grounds of the existing regional Bahr Dar Hospital for a 'Hamlin Fistula¨ Centre'. The builder, Mr Varnero, who has done most of the Hospital's work in recent years, has built a small fistula centre on the land, in memory of his father. He has given the building to the Fistula Hospital.

Dr Andrew Browning, from Australia, who joined the staff of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in 2003, is the resident doctor in charge of this centre.

The Fistula Centre services an area with a huge population. Large numbers of fistula patients are coming to the Centre for treatment.

The centre also treats expectant mothers who are at risk and provides instruction in 'Safe Motherhood'.

At Mekelle - the second new Hamlin Fistula¨ Centre
Mekelle is the capital of the National Region of Tigray and is about 750kms north of Addis Ababa. In 1986 Ethiopia was racked with drought and famine. It was at Mekelle that some tens of thousands died as a result of the famine.

The Hamlin Fistula¨ Centre at Mekelle was opened in February 2006. The building and equipment was fully paid for, by donations from Australia. It is a 30-bed hospital with operating theatre, service rooms and a counselling room for expectant mothers 'at risk'.

The Centre has a 'catchment area' of approximately five million people. There are only three Gynaecologist/Obstetricians in the whole area to attend to them.

A water bore will be sunk with an elevated retention tank for clean water. The Australian Hamlin Fistula¨ Relief and Aid Fund is paying for the running costs of the Centre and has indicated that it will fund the cost of an accommodation block for the nurses aides and a residence for a doctor.

Patients are travelling long distances to reach the Centre. Doctors from the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital are regularly visiting to do surgery until such time as a permanent resident doctor is appointed. An experienced Ethiopian fistula surgeon is to commence working at the Mekelle centre on October 2006.

At Yirgalem - the third new Hamlin Fistula¨ Centre
This centre is situated within the grounds of the regional Yirgalem hospital. Yirgalem itself is south of Addis Ababa in the Sidoma zone which has over 14m people. The building at the Centre was funded by the Norwegion NORAD and the Norwegion Lutheran Mission. The equipment was provided by the Swiss Women's Hope International. It is a two-storey building with kitchen, Laundry etc., on the ground floor, as well as facilities for physiotherapy, handcraft, storage etc. On the upper level there is a 20-bed ward, operating theatre, admission and teaching rooms.

The centre began taking patients in September 2006 with the Official Opening in November of that year. Two nursing sisters and ten nurses aides were trained at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital to work at the Centre.

The Harer Centre
Harer is east of Addis Ababa, closer to the border of Somalia. It has a predominantly Muslim population. Suitable land has been located. It is proposed to construct this Centre in 2007 - 2008. The Hamlin American Partner Organisation 'The Fistula Foundation' has agreed to pay for the cost of building the centre, providing the equipment needed and then paying for the running costs, once it is completed.

The Metu Centre
The Hospital's Mobile Medical Team has been visiting this area for some years and doing fistula surgery using the inadequate facilities at the local regional hospital. This Centre will be constructed in 2008. Suitable land is being given to the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital by the Regional Health Bureau . The land is being surveyed and plans drawn for the building.

Some funding toward the cost of the building and equipment, has been promised by several interested parties.