SHC seeks health dept’s comments on plea for measures to treat obstetric fistula

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the health department to file comments on an application seeking the implementation of a court order with regard to prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula, a severe pregnancy related injury that afflicts hundreds of women in the province every year.

Applicant Sheema Kermani submitted in the application that the SHC had directed the health department to take all remedial measures in order to prevent the widespread incidence of obstetric fistula and appoint gynaecologists and specialist doctors in various government-run hospitals against the vacant posts.

She submitted that despite the court orders, no specialised doctors and gynaecologists were appointed at government-run hospitals of the province. She requested the SHC to direct the health department to implement the court directives in letter and spirit.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar directed an official of the health department to file comments on the application and adjourned the hearing till October 22.

It is pertinent to mention that the health department had earlier informed the court that the Maternal and Newborn Child Health (MNCH) Programme of the department was allocated a sum of Rs11.76 million in PC-I which had been approved. According to the programme, 50 per cent of the allocated amount had been released and from the said amount vesico-vaginal fistula VVF treatment (medical/surgical) centres were to be established at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH), Hyderabad/Jamshoro, Peoples Medical College Hospital, Nawabshah, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur and Chandka Medical College, Larkana. The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi was already dealing with the cases of VVF at its centres, the court was informed.

Regarding the appointments of gynaecologists and specialist doctors in various government-run hospitals against the vacant posts, the health department officials had informed the SHC that the Sindh Public Service Commission had started interviews for the appointments of specialist doctors, including gynaecologists, and immediately after the selection of new doctors and gynaecologists, the health department shall depute reasonable strength of them at different hospitals so that VVF cases may be dealt properly within a reasonable time.

The SHC had disposed of the petition with directions to the health department to implement all remedial measures as decided in their minutes of meeting and directed by the court within a period of three months and submit a compliance report through the advocate general Sindh. The court observed that in case the petitioners found out any deficiency, non-interest or non-implementation of directions of the court, an application could be moved in for the resurrection of the petition disposed of.

The petitioners, including Dr Shershah Syed, had said that around 5,000 women die during pregnancy in Sindh every year because of a lack of healthcare facilities in rural areas. They said there was a shortage of medical care facilities as well as trained staff to attend to the expecting mothers and handle deliveries.

According to the petitioners, the government had launched the MNCH Programme many years ago; however, the funds allocated for the programme were never utilised.

Obstetric fistula is a tear that develops between the birth canal and bladder or rectum usually during a prolonged labour or difficult delivery, and causes the uncontrolled leakage of urine or faeces or both. The petitioners asked the court to direct the authorities to ensure access of women to affordable treatment of obstetric fistula in Sindh. They said the government should ensure that at least one qualified gynaecologist was present in every district to provide fistula repair surgery.