Changing Ghana for Women HE Mrs Samira Bawumia
This weekend, we were honoured to be joined by Her Excellency Hajia Mrs Samira Bawumia, 2nd Lady, Republic of Ghana, at our annual Charity Gala.
When she addressed us, she said:
“We can change the narrative so far as maternal and neonatal morbidity is concerned. We can transform the lives of our mothers and improve their reproductive health. No woman or girl should be deprived of her dignity, hopes, and dreams”
In addition, Her Excellency pledged to donate an additional £5,000 to the VVF project, being added to the £10,000 already raised at the Liverpool Galas so far.
Her Excellency highlighted some of the factors apart from obstetric labour that contribute to this the prevalence of this condition. These include lack of emergency obstetric care, early child marriage associated with early pregnancies, practice of severe female genital mutilation, gender discrimination, rape, poverty, limited decision-making power of women in society, illiteracy, malnutrition, poor health services, poor referral systems, poor transportation networks, and scarcity of skilled birth attendants.
“Given that obstetric fistula is an entirely preventable and highly treatable condition, its existence is a sign of global inequity. It is often the poor and the marginalised who have limited or no access to modern maternal health services that are most likely to suffer obstetric fistula”
She was pained to note that in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, of the 2 million living with obstetric fistula, only (1) in fifty (50) will ever receive treatment. She pledged to support the OFF financially by matching the total receipts from the GDDA-UK fund-raising effort.
At GDDA-UK, we pledge to continue making a difference in maternal health, with our very own Consultant Obstetric Gynaecologist stating, “No woman should suffer the devastating consequences of obstetric fistula for doing what comes naturally to women; childbirth. This is a human rights issue” (Dr Paul Mensah, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, UK).
To find out more about our efforts, please click the image below.
