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FROM THE FIELD

Treatment for Uterine Prolapse Becoming More Accessible in Nepal
13 May 2009 15:20:00 GMT
 Source: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International
Nadia McGill

Website: Website: http://www.adra.org

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SILVER SPRING, Md. --Hundreds of thousands of women in Nepal suffer from uterine prolapse, a debilitating condition that can be prevented with adequate care, treatment, and education, says the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).

In order to provide a lasting solution to vulnerable women in the Mid-Western Region of Nepal who have uterine prolapse and other reproductive health conditions, ADRA is giving improved access to reproductive health services in the districts of Rukum, Jajarkot, and Dailekh. ADRA expects that an estimated 12,600 women will receive medical care at mobile reproductive health camps where uterine prolapse surgery is performed, as well as other reproductive health services. Nearly 200 adolescents will also receive valuable education in life skills.

In addition, by the completion of the project in October 2009, more than 150 health care providers will have been trained in reproductive health in emergency settings, uterine prolapse, and gender-based violence.

ADRA will also distribute informative materials including posters, pictorials, and pamphlets to help Nepali women better understand major health issues, learn responsible health practices, and seek quality health care services.

ADRA is organizing and conducting special event celebration days, targeted media campaigns, street dramas, awareness and advocacy workshops, school competitions, and educational sessions on gender-based violence, uterus prolapse, and reproductive health. More than 13,600 people, including community, religious leaders, and students in secondary schools will benefit from the educational component of the project.

The 12-month project is expected to reach more than 26,500 men, women, and adolescents. To reach that goal, ADRA Nepal is partnering with the Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital, District Public Health Offices, District Women's Development Offices, and Samjhauta Nepal, a Nepali non-governmental organization.

Funding this $318,205 project is the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Uterine prolapse, also known as a "fallen womb", most often occurs after a pregnancy, and is a condition in which a woman's uterus descends from its normal position in the pelvis, and begins to protrude outside the vagina. If not treated, the uterus can slip completely outside the body. Women suffering from this condition live in constant pain, experiencing difficulty in the most basic activities, including standing, walking, cooking, working, sitting, urinating, and sexual intercourse.

Despite the pain, many women are too ashamed to seek medical attention, and instead turn to traditional healing. According to Samita Pradhan, Executive Director of Women's Reproductive Rights Program-CAED,these methods include applying herbal medicines or concoctions to the affected site, or inserting foreign objects such as glass bangles or pieces of flip flops into the vagina to hold the uterus in place.

Approximately 600,000 women in Nepal suffer from uterine prolapse, making it one of the leading causes of ill health in the country, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Established in 1987, ADRA Nepal works in 32 districts in the areas of reproductive health, education, economic development, emergency response, and governance. Of these five key areas, ADRA Nepal's principal focus is reproductive health.

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.

For more information about ADRA, visit www.adra.org.




[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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