Breaking the silence: Doctors, dancers unite to raise awareness
Midwives, nurses, surgeons and physicians attended the final day of the Regional Fistula Conference.
KARACHI:
Midwives, nurses, general surgeons, family physicians, gynaecologists and urologists attended the final day of the Regional Fistula Conference held at the Karachi Sheraton Hotel on Sunday.
The conference was the first of its kind in Pakistan and lasted three days. Fourteen experts from France, Belgium, Ethiopia, Holland, Turkey, Egypt, the US, Nigeria and Tanzania were invited to speak and participate in the seminars. Pakistan National Forum on Women Health President Dr Shershah Syed organised the event and has been working on combating the affliction for five years.
Most of the women attending the conference, from different medical health departments, felt the event was mostly activity-based learning. GMBC medical student Amna Junaid felt "country needs more events like this one" while a postgraduate gynaecology student found it both "entertaining and informative."
Back-to-back sessions took place in different halls while an entire section was dedicated to pharmaceutical company stalls, activities and a handful of other arts and craft displays for sale.
Hall A hosted sessions on fistula-based knowledge and studies for doctors, Hall B hosted sessions on the social implications related to the disease and in Hall C separate awareness lessons were arranged for midwives and nurses working in different private and public hospitals across the country.
Dr Syed explained that the conference aimed to create awareness about the problem locally and internationally. "One of the achievements of the conference was that local doctors learnt from the visiting experts. For instance, we were unable to cure 18 of our patients that despite several surgical attempts. They were operated on by these experts and we are hoping that these patients will now improve." The foreign surgeons also volunteered at Koohi Goth hospital for two days.
Zeenat was among the many patients who had been operated on twice already before a third surgery cured her. "I could not touch my children, or socialize, my neighbours used to say I will never get better," she said, tearing up.
Kulsum Mustafa and Azra Yaqoob, two aspiring midwives at Qatar hospital felt they had learnt plenty. Laden with gifts and take aways from different pharmaceutical stalls, the young girls said that learned about family planning, infertility and neonatal issues.
Closing Ceremony and 'Uraan sey Pehley'
The event was brought to a close with a classical dance by Suhaee Abro based on poetry written by her mother, Attiya Dawood.
The theatrical performance titled "Uraan sey Pehley" was choreographed by Suhaee and narrated by Aimen Tariq. Interpreting the poetry through music were instrumentalists Abdul Aziz Kazi, Sohaib Lari, Ali Haider Habib and Gul Mohammad. Ahsan Bari composed the music while playing guitar and singing with vocalist Sara Haider.
Though the performance had little to do with the event itself, it focused on the common issue discussed in the conference - the silent sufferings of women in Pakistan. Speaking to The Express Tribune Abro said it was a "privilege to perform here for these women, I really felt it was for them."
Vocalist Sara Haider said that a gathering such as this, of "women trying to improve the lifestyle of less privileged women with such fervour" was a moving experience.
After the dance Dr Nighat Shah took to the stage and invited International Society of Fistula Surgeons President Dr Kees Waaldijk to say a few words.
The surgeon from Nigeria, who has completed over 21,000 fistula procedures, claimed he was speechless. "I did not know what to expect because it was my first time here. I'm highly impressed by the ability of Pakistani people to take matters into their own hands."
He was followed by a few words by the chief guest, Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza. The senior doctors at the event felt that the event was well overdue. "It's a treatable disease, the patients go through so much trauma, they spend months suffering and being disregarded by their families, when it can be treated with a simple operation," said Dr Hamid Manzoor. "This event has spread the message that these women need not be afraid to seek help."
Midwives, nurses, general surgeons, family physicians, gynaecologists and urologists attended the final day of the Regional Fistula Conference held at the Karachi Sheraton Hotel on Sunday.
The conference was the first of its kind in Pakistan and lasted three days. Fourteen experts from France, Belgium, Ethiopia, Holland, Turkey, Egypt, the US, Nigeria and Tanzania were invited to speak and participate in the seminars. Pakistan National Forum on Women Health President Dr Shershah Syed organised the event and has been working on combating the affliction for five years.
Most of the women attending the conference, from different medical health departments, felt the event was mostly activity-based learning. GMBC medical student Amna Junaid felt "country needs more events like this one" while a postgraduate gynaecology student found it both "entertaining and informative."
Back-to-back sessions took place in different halls while an entire section was dedicated to pharmaceutical company stalls, activities and a handful of other arts and craft displays for sale.
Hall A hosted sessions on fistula-based knowledge and studies for doctors, Hall B hosted sessions on the social implications related to the disease and in Hall C separate awareness lessons were arranged for midwives and nurses working in different private and public hospitals across the country.
Dr Syed explained that the conference aimed to create awareness about the problem locally and internationally. "One of the achievements of the conference was that local doctors learnt from the visiting experts. For instance, we were unable to cure 18 of our patients that despite several surgical attempts. They were operated on by these experts and we are hoping that these patients will now improve." The foreign surgeons also volunteered at Koohi Goth hospital for two days.
Zeenat was among the many patients who had been operated on twice already before a third surgery cured her. "I could not touch my children, or socialize, my neighbours used to say I will never get better," she said, tearing up.
Kulsum Mustafa and Azra Yaqoob, two aspiring midwives at Qatar hospital felt they had learnt plenty. Laden with gifts and take aways from different pharmaceutical stalls, the young girls said that learned about family planning, infertility and neonatal issues.
Closing Ceremony and 'Uraan sey Pehley'
The event was brought to a close with a classical dance by Suhaee Abro based on poetry written by her mother, Attiya Dawood.
The theatrical performance titled "Uraan sey Pehley" was choreographed by Suhaee and narrated by Aimen Tariq. Interpreting the poetry through music were instrumentalists Abdul Aziz Kazi, Sohaib Lari, Ali Haider Habib and Gul Mohammad. Ahsan Bari composed the music while playing guitar and singing with vocalist Sara Haider.
Though the performance had little to do with the event itself, it focused on the common issue discussed in the conference - the silent sufferings of women in Pakistan. Speaking to The Express Tribune Abro said it was a "privilege to perform here for these women, I really felt it was for them."
Vocalist Sara Haider said that a gathering such as this, of "women trying to improve the lifestyle of less privileged women with such fervour" was a moving experience.
After the dance Dr Nighat Shah took to the stage and invited International Society of Fistula Surgeons President Dr Kees Waaldijk to say a few words.
The surgeon from Nigeria, who has completed over 21,000 fistula procedures, claimed he was speechless. "I did not know what to expect because it was my first time here. I'm highly impressed by the ability of Pakistani people to take matters into their own hands."
He was followed by a few words by the chief guest, Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza. The senior doctors at the event felt that the event was well overdue. "It's a treatable disease, the patients go through so much trauma, they spend months suffering and being disregarded by their families, when it can be treated with a simple operation," said Dr Hamid Manzoor. "This event has spread the message that these women need not be afraid to seek help."