Professor Justin Paluku Lussy from HEAL Africa Hospital substantially contributes to the eradication of obstetric fistula in the DRC
Birth injuries are common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) like in many other developing countries. Among these injuries, there are obstetric fistulas.
Everyday Professor Justin Paluku L. puts his expertise at the service of his nation. He is a fistula surgeon who has been regularly conducting mobile surgery missions across several provinces of the DRC to identify and repair fistula patients since 2003.
It is now more than 5000 women with fistulas who have already been successfully repaired by him in the DRC. Recently, in October and November 2024, a total of 154 patients were repaired in the health zone of Karawa, North-Ubangi province.
It is with the financial support of partners of HEAL Africa organization that this result has been obtained. He ensures that every cent of the dollar received is used for the benefit of fistula patients in the DRC.
Obstetric fistula primarily affects women living in rural areas, without access to quality reproductive health care. In the DRC, rural medical facilities operate with a lot of difficulties and, as a result, often do not offer services that meet the standards of quality healthcare. For example, very few medical facilities have specialist doctors. Good quality and functional equipment are another challenge, especially in rural hospitals.Yet, more than 65% of the Congolese people live in rural areas. Thus, Congolese women face many health problems among which obstetric fistula.
Note that fistula patients live stigmatized in their communities. With the smell of urine and/or feces they continuously leak, they are often divorced by their husbands. Thus, a successful repair is a restoration of life for them.