Post a comment 
The Ministry of Social Welfare has received a Vehicle from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) alongside the Embassy of Iceland in Freetown, a major step toward eliminating obstetric fistula and restoring the dignity of women across Sierra Leone.
The handover marks a critical milestone for the “Integrated Approach Towards Elimination of Obstetric Fistula” project (2022–2026).
The newly deployed vehicle is designed to bridge the severe geographic gap between centralized healthcare facilities and remote, rural communities, expanding the government’s capacity to deliver long-term, holistic rehabilitation to survivors nationwide.
While lifesaving surgical repairs have already been institutionalized at the dedicated obstetric fistula operation theatre at the Bo Government Hospital, experts emphasize that true fistula care must extend far beyond clinical operations.
Obstetric fistula, a severe childbirth injury caused by prolonged, obstructed labor that results in chronic incontinence, leaves many women facing devastating social stigma, severe depression, and economic isolation.
The new project vehicle will directly address these challenges by mobilizing dedicated social workers into previously hard-to-reach areas.
By actively dismantling the physical, social, and economic barriers that survivors face, the partnership aims to anchor sustainable, community-led reintegration into local networks.
Representatives from the Ministry of Social Welfare, UNFPA, and the Icelandic Embassy reaffirmed their collective commitment to pressing forward until Sierra Leone achieves a future completely free of obstetric fistula.
Through this enhanced mobility, the project ensures that the journey to recovery does not end when a patient leaves the hospital doors but continues directly into the communities where these women live and thrive.
