GAIBANDHA, DEC 18, 2025 (BSS) - As many as 174 obstetric fistula patients were detected in all seven upazilas of the district through a search campaign conducted by health and family planning departments here from 2012 to 2025.

The campaign was conducted in cooperation with LAMB Hospital under its FRRei project funded by UNFPA Bangladesh.

Of them, 12 patients were detected in Fulchhari upazila, 34 in Sadar upazila, 40 in Gobindaganj upazila, 27 in Palashbari upazila, 22 in Sadullapur upazila, 8 in Saghata upazila and 31 in Sundarganj upazila of the district. 

At first, the patients were considered suspicious, but after diagnosis with laboratory testing, they were confirmed as fistula patients. 

This was disclosed by Dr. Shaheen Aktar, a field officer of UNFPA Bangladesh, while presenting data on fistula patients in the district at an advocacy meeting on fistula patient identification held at the conference room of the Civil Surgeon's (CS) office in the town here on Wednesday at noon, with CS Dr. Rafiquzzaman in the chair.

All patients received free treatment from medical college hospitals and LAMB Hospital and recovered from the disease through repairing/surgery operations, he also said. 

Several patients who are poor were also brought under the rehabilitation program of the project and assets were distributed to them from the project in a bid to involve themselves in income-generating activities aimed at running their families without economic trouble, he added. 

A plan has been taken to declare Gobindaganj upazila of the district as fistula free one on December 23, formally, he further added. 

Talking to the BSS, Dr. Shaheen Aktar said obstetric fistula disease is fully curable if the patients are identified quickly and brought under treatment facilities being provided by the government health complex, medical college hospitals, including LAMB Hospital timely manner.

Those who have recovered from the disease through surgical operations are leading a normal life like other family members. 

In this context, he urged the stakeholders of the society, including media men, to help identify obstetric fistula patients to build a fistula-free Gaibandha district by 2030 or before the specific time.