News Archive - September 2006

Fistula Hospital Expands its Work Curing more 'forgotten' women

Already the new Hamlin Fistula® Centres are able to treat and cure more 'fistula' patients.

Some years ago, the World Health Organisation estimated that, each year, between 8,000 to 9,000 women in Ethiopia alone, suffer from obstetric fistulae. Until recently, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital was able to treat only about 1,200 of these patients. The immediate questions asked are:

• "What has happened to the back-log of patients from previous years?" and
• "What happens to the 7,000 women each year who aren't able to receive help?"
• "Do they just die of serious infection?"
• "Are there tens of thousands of women continuing to live in isolation and misery?"

At that time the small number of patients being treated was largely due to the fact that most women suffering this dreadful affliction were unable to face the extremely difficult task of travelling to Addis Ababa for help.

Ethiopia is a very poor country, where over a third of the population live on less than $2 a day. Even buying a bus ticket represents significant hardship. Also, Ethiopia is a country where the terrain is mountainous and rugged. It has less than 5,000 kms of paved road. By comparison France, which is half the size of Ethiopia, has almost 900,000 kms of paved road.

In September 2004, Dr Hamlin announced
"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 prevent this dreadful problem occurring"

Some five years previous to this, Dr Hamlin had been sending medical teams, doctors and nurses with equipment, to outlying towns to undertake fistula surgery.

The results of her efforts are beginning to be realised.
Three of the Hamlin Fistula® Centres, those at Bahr Dar, Mekelle and now at Yirgalem, are taking in more and more patients. Plans for the construction of the fourth Centre at Harer are being prepared.

More than 2,000 patients will be treated this year. When all the centres are operational it is estimated that 5,000 patients will be cured annually.

Dr Catherine Hamlin AC Awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Australian College of Educators
On Monday 14th August at Abbotsleigh Girls School in Wahroonga, Sydney, Dr Hamlin was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Australian College of Educators specifically for her contribution to education connected with the work of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital.

Natalie McNamara, Chair of the Awards Committee, spoke on behalf of the College, saying that only about ten fellowships are awarded each year in New South Wales, but an Honorary Fellowship is an honour the College only rarely confers. Mrs Sheila Knox, Dr Hamlin's sister, received the Honour on her behalf.

Mr Stuart Braga, formerly Senior Master at Trinity Grammar School, Sydney, and himself, a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators, and a member of its Awards Committee since 1990, then read the citation on behalf of the Awards Committee.

Following are some extracts from the citation:

"Dr Elinor Catherine Hamlin, AC, MD (Syd.), FRCS (Ed.) is internationally renowned and honoured for her humanitarian work, Dr Catherine Hamlin has over the last thirty years established the world's major centre for the training of doctors, medical students, nurses and aides in the treatment of vaginal fistulae.

She graduated in Medicine from the University of Sydney in 1946, and in 1959 went to Ethiopia to set up, with her late husband Reg, a school of midwifery in Addis Ababa.

They soon became aware of the many young women suffering the catastrophic effects of obstructed labour, a problem that is disastrous without medical intervention. The awful injuries that such labour produces are called fistulae. Those who suffer this catastrophe are totally incontinent and stinking of urine.

Young women are married too early and their pelvis is not fully developed. The baby, usually their first, invariably dies. Many are rejected by their husband and live in misery, isolation and poverty, unwelcome because of their incontinence and smell.

Close to 50 years later, Catherine is still there, running one of the most outstanding medical programs in the world.. ......The hospital is unique; it is run solely by donations, and treats only women with fistulae. It has now expanded to include five centres in rural Ethiopia.

Today, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital has become a major teaching institution in the techniques of fistula surgery for surgeons from
all over Ethiopia and the developing world.

• Every medical student graduating in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from Addis Ababa University is required to spend two months training at the Fistula Hospital. On average 12 post graduate students have been trained each year, rising to 18 in 2005.
• In addition, others come from countries where obstetric fistulae are prevalent: other parts of Africa and India, Pakistan and elsewhere. They spend one month living in the hospital compound and are involved in the day to day surgical cases. Twelve doctors are trained each year. Many of them return to their base hospital to establish a fistula unit there.
• Dr Hamlin has also trained as nurses and medical aides many young women who came to her for treatment, but whose injuries were too severe to be remedied and who require on-going care. Nevertheless, they are able to help others suffering from the condition that they themselves have endured.
• Dr Hamlin's achievement flows from her sense of utter dedication and commitment to the people of Ethiopia. She has set a high standard of care, and the hospital is a place where everything is kept spotless. Her own personal qualities are reflected in everything the hospital does...

Catherine Hamlin has published no papers and written no articles for learned journals. Rather, the world of learning has come to her in respect and admiration.

A eulogy delivered by Professor Gordon Williams for the award of an Honorary Fellowship by the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, in 2005 gives a telling comparison:

'Catherine has been compared by some to Mother Theresa. One difference between them is that, whereas Mother Theresa cared for those who were dying, Catherine has given to over 26,000 young women, a new life.'

In awarding its Honorary Fellowship to Dr Catherine Hamlin, the Australian College of Educators pays its own tribute to her unique achievement in education as well as to her humanitarian work.... Dr Catherine Hamlin stands out as one of the great Australian educators of our time."

The marvellous things people do to help

A marathon golf-a-thon
Three Melbourne golf professionals raised more than $15,000 for the work of the Hospital. They played continuously for 24 hours at the Eastern Golf Club, walked an estimated 75 kms, keeping up a cracking pace to average seven and a half minutes per hole. They hit off at 5.00pm with the support of members. When the light faded they used fluorescent golf balls and spot lights

One of the players said "It is not easy playing for 24 hours. But just to know you've supported a charity like this, put things into the right perspective for me..."

We are very grateful for the many and varied ways in which, so many people, raise funds and make articles for the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital

Some ways you can help
Use our free DVD 'A Compassionate Vision'
Over the last year or so we have given many Videos or DVDs to people on the understanding that they use it to interest a group of other people in the work of the Hospital. They have done this and many more are giving regularly to help cure more fistula patients.
Make a Bequest for the Hospital in your Will.
A Legacy will help to ensure the ongoing work of the Hospital. (Contact us for a suggested wording)

Desta Mender
Ato Ephraim Aklilu has been appointed as the new manager of Desta Mender.

He has a degree in agriculture and has had experience, assisting farmers to improve their farming techniques and making their farms more profitable.

Since his appointment 3 months ago, Ato Ephraim has taken on the role with great enthusiasm. He has arranged regular staff meetings to make sure that all staff members are well informed about the activities of the site and the priorities of their work.

He has carried out a 'needs' analysis with the residents of Desta Mender to determine how they feel about their lives at the Village and what their hopes are for the future. He has made use of this information in the strategic planning for the Village and has worked hard to formalise more suitable activities on the site.

The Hospital now has training manuals for some key activities. A formal training program in dairy production, poultry farming and horticulture will commence in this coming month.

Plans for a new barn, with all the features needed, have been drawn. The cost will be approximately 110,000 Birr (A$20,000). This with a new amenities block will be the major capital items for Desta Mender in the coming year.

Ephraim is living on site at Desta Mender. He is working with the Matron and staff members, to help the residents of the Village develop their own skills and gain more confidence, after the difficult injuries they have received, and the struggle they have, living with a stoma (a bag to collect urine on their abdomen).

From Dr Catherine Hamlin AC
My dear friends in Australia,
Some of you may be surprised to know that I am writing to you, sitting in front of a warm fire with my little dog drying off after a few hours in the hospital compound where she plays every evening.

We are still in the wet season and it can be very cold especially in my house, near the river. Hopefully after the Ethiopian New Year, September 11th, it will change and the sun will appear again.

More patients coming despite the 'wet' season
The steady stream of sad and tragic women still flock to us. Travel is harder for them at this time of year with the rivers in flood and roads and tracks washed away. We are thankful to have hostel beds for them. They can rest and sleep, even if they have to share a bed.

Knitted shawls from Australia
It is wonderful to give each new arrival a warm colourful knitted shawl. Recently more cartons arrived from Australia and were excitedly opened by our staff so that more lovely shawls were added to our store. These parcels are most welcome. We want to thank all who spend time and put such love into the making of the shawls, they are indeed so appreciated. As it happened, we had another welcome parcel with some baby clothes. We do not often have a mother with a live baby but at that time we had three, and they have benefited from this kind gift.

Bahr Dar Fistula Centre
In a few days I am flying to Bahr Dar with Mamite (some of you know her), to work there, while Dr Andrew Browning has a well deserved few days away with his wife Stephanie and little William.

I am looking forward to operating at that Centre, and meeting all the staff again. I will be staying in the visitors flat in our own new nurses' home. It was built beside our centre on land that was given to us. I am looking forward to seeing how the roses and other shrubs that we sent up are growing.

Andrew is doing wonderful work at Bahr Dar and there are so many patients every month going back to their villages literally on dancing feet. He writes good reports of all his activities and I know he is loved by all at the centre, and by many throughout the Gojam province. Our Fistula Centre is really a place of healing, peace and efficiency, with a dedicated staff.

Mekelle Fistula Centre
We hope that it will be a similar story, at Mekelle in the Tigrai Region, in a short while when our new Doctor takes over. The new doctor we have appointed to be in charge, Dr Melaku is now able to move to Mekelle with his wife and two children to set up home. He will commence with us on the 1st October. In the meantime our doctors from Addis Ababa are making regular trips to Mekelle, to operate on admitted patients. Our nursing staff is doing a good job keeping everything going.

We have plans to build a nurses' accommodation block on land we have beside the Centre at Mekelle and to sink a 'bore' to ensure a regular water supply.

The regional health bureau in Tigrai have been very co-operative and are excited about our centre coming into full operation with the new doctor.

The World Health Organisation has produced a "Fistula Manual". It outlines the main issues when caring for Fistula patients. A number of our staff members submitted material for the Manual. The international launch of the manual and press interviews, were held at the Fistula Hospital.

Solomon Abebe
Since my last letter our outreach coordinator, Solomon and his wife have had a baby daughter. In fact his wife was the first occupant of our new Yirgalem Fistula Centre, being looked after by our nurses and nurse aides as the only patient, before we open for normal services. She was well cared for!

We plan to begin operations at the Yirgalem Centre, in September. The official opening will be in November when our donors from Norway can be present.

Again, we are so grateful to our friend and colleague Professor Gordon Williams, who flew out just last weekend to operate on a very special little girl of 16 from Tigrai. She has suffered from TB of the bladder and kidneys and his efforts have given her hope for future life and happiness. She still has a long way to go but we believe through God's love and mercy she will do well. All of our staff have nursed her with such care through months of illness and are now delighted to see improvement.

With my warm greetings and love.

(Dr.) Catherine Hamlin