More than a million women in Nepal suffer from uterine prolapse, a debilitating and stigmatizing condition. Multiple barriers prevent them from accessing healthcare. The Advocacy Project (AP) is seeking $6,000 to enable Care Women Nepal (CWN), an AP partner that works in Dhankuta district, to screen 1000 village women for serious conditions, including prolapse, and provide surgery for 40 women with severe prolapse. Your support will help these women to regain their health and well-being.
Uterine prolapse (UP) occurs when the uterus falls from its original position. As many as 10% of all Nepali women are thought to suffer from UP - and some live with the condition for decades because they lack access to health care. Untreated, UP causes severe pain and prevents women from performing basic tasks. Often, women with UP will also suffer emotional and physical abuse from the community. UP is thought to contribute to high levels of suicide among women of reproductive age.
This project will screen at least 1000 women for prolapse at two health camps in Dhankuta district and fund surgery for 40 women found to have severe prolapse. CWN will recruit volunteers and paramedics to run the camps in advance, and run an outreach campaign to promote the camps, destigmatize UP and educate local villagers on the causes and risks of UP. Villagers will then be screened over three days. Those with severe prolapse will be referred for surgery at the Dhankuta district hospital.
This project will go a long way towards improving the quality of life for hundreds of marginalized Nepali women, and protect their right to reproductive health. It will also mobilize and educate up to ten communities against the risks of prolapse, and end the stigmatization that comes from prolapse. Finally, the camps will strengthen the rural health system and work with the district hospital to better organize and provide prolapse surgeries. We expect the benefits to be deep and lasting.
