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Update Malawi Fistula Care Centre

January 2021

In our December newsletter we told you of the Malawi government’s plan to integrate fistula services into the healthcare system, resulting in the closure of our Fistula Care Centre (FCC).

Unexpectedly at Christmas, and to our delight, the Ministry of Health had a change of heart and asked us to continue with our fistula services at the Fistula Care Centre, as it realised it was not in a position to integrate the service at this time.

Since then, we have been in negotiations with the Ministry and are happy to report that we have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health that allows our Fistula Care Centre to continue to provide fistula services for the women and girls of Malawi.  

We are absolutely delighted for our staff and, more importantly, for the thousands of women and girls suffering with fistula in Malawi.  It is an answer to our prayers and to those of our patients and staff.

Whilst we have the new agreement, cases of Covid and resulting deaths have increased significantly in Malawi since the start of the year and so, for now, the FCC will continue to be requisitioned as a Covid facility until such time it is safe to return it to us.  

Although we cannot return to our Fistula Care Centre right now, we know we will be returning this year and that is great news.

In the meantime, please pray for the people of Malawi as they face rising Covid cases and deaths with the reality of a poor healthcare system.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Lois Boyle

Director of Operations and Communications