TDS Desk:

Experts at a workshop have called for an effective role of the mass media in creating public awareness to identify obstetric fistula patients and bring them under free medical facilities.

Kurigram Press Club organised the workshop with representatives of electronic and print media on ‘Role, of media in identifying obstetric fistula patients’ at a local community center at OFC Chinese Restaurant in Kurigram on Tuesday afternoon.

LAMB Hospital at Parbatipur in Dinajpur extended technical support in arranging the event under the UNFPA Bangladesh funded Elimination of Genital Fistula by Capturing, Treating, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating in Bangladesh (FRRei) project.

Presided over by President of Kurigram Press Club Raju Mostafiz, its acting general secretary Khondker Mahfuzar Rahman and senior journalists Shafi Khan, Md Shahabuddin, Shyamol Bhowmick addressed the event.

Project Manager of LAMB FRRei Project Mahatab Liton delivered a PowerPoint presentation on ‘Obstetric fistula, fistula patient identification, treatment and rehabilitation’ giving a summary of the fistula situation and fistula elimination activities.

District Coordinator of the FRRei project Monju Ara Begum and participating journalists from the print and electronic media also spoke.

Mahatab Liton discussed causes behind the intolerable but preventable disease, available cost-free treatment facilities and ongoing activities for rehabilitation of obstetric fistula patients in Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions.

He discussed services being provided to fistula patients by LAMB Hospital, different medical college hospitals, district and upazila level hospitals, union level health service providing facilities in identifying and referral of fistula patients for treatments.

“With the cooperation of all, especially working journalists, it is possible to reduce the number of fistula patients through creating social awareness about fistula for identifying and bringing fistula patients under cost-free treatment facilities,” Liton said.

LAMB Hospital, district and upazila level hospitals, union level health service providing facilities are working in a coordinated manner to identify fistula patients for their treatments and rehabilitation for a fistula free Kurigram district.

“Institutional delivery, stopping child marriage, identification of fistula patients, counseling for proper treatments, quality and safe surgeries and rehabilitation are crucial to free the country from fistula and attain the sustainable development goals,” he said.

He particularly called upon journalists to create awareness for identifying obstetric fistula patients to bring them under cost-free treatment facilities and rehabilitation programmes.