Uganda: U.N. Helps Launch Anti-Fistula Initiative

With the support of the U.N. Population Fund, Ugandan first lady Janet Museveni initiated a campaign on Friday to eliminate fistula, a pregnancy-related disability. According to the UNFPA, fistula is caused by obstructed and prolonged labour and exacerbated by improper medical care. The problem is especially acute in Uganda, where only 38 percent of births occur with the assistance of a capable birth attendant and about 60 percent of babies are delivered at home, the UNFPA said.