TORREWODE screens over 100 women for fistula in Kotido outreach

28 April 2026, 10:49 am

By Prosper Gibolo

Over 100 women and girls from the districts of Kotido, Kaabong and Abim have benefited from free fistula screening services.

The free screening exercise, organised by TORREWODE in conjunction with the Kotido District Health Department, was held at Panyangara Health Centre III on Monday, 27 April 2026.

Out of 102 women and girls screened, eight were confirmed to be living with fistula and will be transported to TORREWODE Women’s Hospital for free corrective surgery, including feeding support.

Stella Apio, a community fistula outreach officer at TORREWODE, said the two-day screening exercise is part of planned activities to mark World Fistula Day, which will be commemorated in Serere District on 23 May 2026.

She described fistula as a condition that affects women of childbearing age as a result of complications during childbirth, leading to a rupture of the bladder and resulting in continuous and uncontrollable leakage of urine or faecal matter, usually after prolonged labour.

Maria Teko, a mother of five and resident of Lokatap, Rengen Sub-county, expressed happiness after being selected among the women to receive free corrective fistula surgery. She noted that she developed the condition when she gave birth to her fifth child under the care of a traditional birth attendant (TBA).

According to Dr Yusuf Zacharia Lokiru, the former Kotido Hospital Administrator, women with the condition often shy away and live in isolation due to the embarrassment associated with it.

In order to encourage women with fistula to come forward, Dr Lokiru said they are now using beneficiaries of free corrective surgeries as change agents, a strategy he said is yielding results, as seen in the increasing number of women turning up for screening exercises.

According to the programme, the two-day free screening exercise was concluded at Kacheri Health Centre III and Panyangara Health Centre III respectively.