During a trip in July to the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR) to view the developments of Norwegian funded projects, the embassy visited the regional Yirgalem Hospital and Yirgalem Hamlin Fistula Centre.
Yirgalem Hospital, which was opened by Norwegian King Olav V in 1966, has been supported throughout the years by the Norwegian Lutheran Mission (NLM). In 2002 regional health authorities took over the responsibility for the hospital. The hospital serves around 4 million people. The Sidama zone in SNNPR has nearly 15 million inhabitants.
Yirgalem Fistula Centre lies in connection to the hospital, and opened in 2006. The Centre is one of the new regional fistula hospitals built to extend the reach of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. Dr. Einar Lande, a Norwegian doctor, has been in charge of the centre since it opened. He has done surgery on about 400 patients per year and has recently finished his contract. Two nursing sisters and ten nurses aides have been trained at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital to work at the Centre.
The Centre has 38 beds, all occupied at the time of visit. There is also an operation room and a educational room for the women. The first patients where received in September 2006 and the Centre was officially opened in November 2006. Women often travel an average 150 km to reach the facilities, either for treatment of fistula or for giving birth. The women who have been treated for fistula at the centre is also welcome to come back for caesarean if having more children. Depending of the severity of their condition, women can stay up to 2-3 months at the Centre. As words spread about the availability of treatment the amount of patients has grown, and will hopefully continue to grow.
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) funded the construction of the Centre, together with the Norwegian Lutheran Mission.