ECOWAS Steps Up Fight Against Obstetric Fistula with Targeted Interventions in West Africa
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive effort to combat one of West Africa’s most urgent maternal health crises, the ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG) has convened the Third Meeting of the Regional Coordination Committee for the Medical and Financial Support Programme for Women and Girls Suffering from Obstetric Fistula in ECOWAS Member States.
The meeting, which forms a critical part of the 2025 ECOWAS Fistula Programme rollout, brought together regional stakeholders, policymakers, and health professionals to strengthen coordination and fast-track national interventions. Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone have been identified as priority countries for immediate action, with focused support for surgical repairs, post-operative care, and survivor reintegration.
Deliberations at the meeting would emphasize the urgent need for sustained funding, stronger cross-border partnerships, and community outreach to break the stigma surrounding obstetric fistula. Participants looks forward for an improved training of health workers and mainstreaming fistula management within national healthcare systems of ECOWAS member states.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, described the initiative as both a health intervention and a human rights imperative. “Addressing obstetric fistula is not only about healing physical wounds,” she said. “It is about restoring dignity, empowering women, and affirming their place in society.”
Obstetric fistula continues to affect thousands of women across the ECOWAS region, primarily as a result of prolonged, obstructed labor without timely medical intervention. Through the 2025 Fistula Programme, ECOWAS aims to expand access to quality surgical treatment and long-term care, while championing gender equality and women’s health.
The ECOWAS Centre for Gender Development (CCDG) has convened the Third Meeting of the Regional Coordination Committee for the Medical and Financial Support Programme for Women and Girls Suffering from Obstetric Fistula in ECOWAS Member States. This high-level gathering marks a crucial step in the implementation of the 2025 ECOWAS Fistula Programme, with a focus on launching targeted national interventions in Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Through this initiative, ECOWAS reaffirms its commitment to restoring dignity, promoting women’s health, and advancing gender equality across the region.
