A two-week integrated medical camp at Migori County Referral Hospital aims to provide comprehensive fistula surgery and screening to over 1,000 women, extending care to patients from multiple counties while creating long-term reintegration pathways.
The initiative is spearheaded by the M-PESA Foundation, leveraging partnerships with the Flying Doctors Society of Kenya, AMREF, and the Migori County government to expand access to treatment and support services for women affected by obstetric fistula.
The camp represents phase two of an ongoing programme that began with the treatment of 700 women drawn from Kisii, Bungoma, Nyeri, Tharaka Nithi, Kajiado, Kilifi, Garissa, Makueni, Homa Bay, Kiambu, and Nairobi counties.
By adding at least 200 additional women to the previous cohort, the initiative is designed to reduce the backlog of untreated cases and build a structured approach to reintegration and social rehabilitation over the next five years.
“Let us encourage as many women as possible from our and neighboring counties to seek treatment and related integration support, to enable them to live a life free of pain and out of isolation,” said Nicholas Ng’ang’a, Chairman of the M-PESA Foundation, explaining the objective of broadening access to medical intervention and holistic care for patients living with the condition.
Obstetric fistula, caused primarily by prolonged labor and prevalent in early pregnancies, affects an estimated 50,000 to 100,000 women globally each year, according to the World Health Organization.
The condition results in urinary or fecal incontinence, social marginalization, and compounded health complications. In Kenya, only 10 specialized fistula repair facilities serve an estimated 3,000 patients annually, leaving most women dependent on outreach programmes for corrective surgery.
“This is more than a medical intervention. It is a journey of restoration: of health, hope, and humanity. Together, we are building a system that will enable every woman to heal and reclaim her dignity,” said Dr. Meshack Ndirangu, Country Director at AMREF Health Africa in Kenya, outlining the programme’s wider societal objectives.
Fistula repair surgery is complemented by counseling, reintegration training, and community support, addressing the multidimensional impact of the condition.
The two-week camp coincides with the 15-year milestone of the M-PESA Foundation’s health interventions, which include maternal, reproductive, neonatal, adolescent, and child health programmes aimed at strengthening referral networks and health infrastructure.
Tanya Nduati, CEO of the Flying Doctors Society of Africa, noted that the partnership allows targeted medical care to reach underserved regions, restoring dignity and enabling social inclusion for affected women.
The initiative also provides a model for public-private collaboration in healthcare delivery, demonstrating how philanthropic funding and specialized medical expertise can address systemic gaps in treatment access.
Analysts indicate that such partnerships are critical in countries where limited specialist facilities, resource constraints, and geographic barriers hinder the timely provision of corrective surgery, and that sustained interventions could reduce obstetric fistula prevalence and improve maternal health outcomes over time.
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