The New Facility Offers a Refuge to Women in Need
On May 31, HOPE Maternity and Fistula Center officially opened its doors in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. This new center, which will provide wraparound maternal health services in a region with poor maternal health outcomes, is the first dedicated fistula center in Bangladesh.
Fistula Foundation has partnered with HOPE Foundation since 2011 to provide nearly 100 fistula surgeries per year at HOPE Hospital in Cox’s Bazar. The new facility vastly improves the quality of care that HOPE is able to provide to women throughout the surrounding region. It offers a dedicated space for fistula patients, two fully equipped operating theaters, and 75 beds to serve a range of maternal health needs.
Fistula Foundation donors supported the construction of this facility by covering construction and equipment costs. In addition, since the beginning of our partnership with HOPE, donors have supported HOPE’s work to provide life-changing repair surgeries to women in need.
CEO Kate Grant attended the opening ceremony for the new facility, and celebrated this historic accomplishment, which was led by Dr. Ifthiker Mahmood, the founder of HOPE. “Today, HOPE Maternity and Fistula Center stands as a lighthouse in a storm for women who would otherwise suffer from neglect,” said Grant.
During the launch festivities, Dr. Mahmood offered his thanks to Fistula Foundation for supporting HOPE’s work. “Fistula Foundation has been a dedicated supporter and loyal supporter [of] our work for the past 12 years,” said Dr. Mahmood. “Over the years, … Fistula Foundation not only supported surgeries, but they also supported our patients’ rehabilitation, our community awareness programs, and finally they have also supported building this hospital. I cannot thank the … Foundation enough, and I cannot thank the supporters enough.”
Dr. Nrinmoy Biswas, the lead fistula surgeon at HOPE, said that he looks forward to providing a higher-quality care to mothers in Bangladesh with the opening of the new facility. “Previously, we did surgeries in tin shed buildings,” he explained. “With this hospital opening, we will have a better opportunity to treat mothers.”
Dr. Biswas, who has completed advanced training through the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), said that he hopes that the new facility will eventually serve as a training ground for Bangladeshi surgeons with an interest in fistula care.
The new facility addresses a huge, unmet need for high-quality maternal healthcare in a region with poor maternal health outcomes. Congratulations to our longstanding partner HOPE Foundation for achieving this historic milestone.
Published on June 21, 2023