Hargeisa, Somalia: A medical team that the UAE's Red Crescent Authority (RCA) sent to Somalia has performed gynaecology surgeries and other procedures on 30 Somali women.
The RCA collaborated with the Oasis International Organisation (OIO) to reach medical help to Somalia.
The complex surgeries were performed to treat injuries resulting from unauthorised obstetric practices.
One of the patients, Fatima Othman, said she had travelled 1,800km from Mogadishu when she heard about the arrival of the medical team that provides free medical services to women.
Fatima said she has been suffering from complications after excessive force was used to pull out a foetus from her womb. She said she had severe bleeding and serious injuries for which she could not find proper treatment. Fatima said her condition affected her family life and things became more complicated due to ignorance about her medical condition.
Dr Isam Mustafa Al Saeed, a member of the team, said most of the cases treated were the result of post-natal complications because of delivery at the hands of unlicensed midwives.
Dr Sinan Khedaj, Secretary General of the OIO, quoted official statistics that 1,600 women out of every 100,000 die from post-natal complications in Somalia.
