1. isofs-iofwg roles and collaboration kees waaldijk MD PhD isofs

2. introduction the obstetric fistula is the only major public health problem where … and prevention and treatment … take place at secondary health level by high-quality surgery by highly qualified staff in highly specialized units; with individual patient care prevention by well-trained nurses/midwives, using the partogram and if necessary the vacuum extractor; secondly by well-trained CO‘s/ AMO‘s/MO‘s/registrars and obstetricians, when an operation/CS is necessary treatment by selective complicated reconstructive surgery by gynecologists, urologists, general surgeons, reconstructive surgeons etc as such.. and prevention and treatment.. require well-trained health workers of all categories, specialists + staff, and well equipped operation theaters; all of this is expensive

3. public health surgery isofs the professional organization of obstetric fistula surgeons dealing directly with the fistula patients iofwg a group of different organizations, professional health workers, social workers and administrators and isofs dealing indirectly with the fistula patients, fascilitating the professionals to prevent, treat and rehabilitate collaboration since it is team work, both groups cannot work alone but have to collaborate

4. role of isofs ensure high-quality patient care at all levels: general health, foot drop, wound care, catheter treatment, pre-, intra- and post- operative care, complications and follow-up deliver health education: personal hygiene and what to do at subsequent pregnancies and deliveries ensure high-quality training of all staff dealing directly with the patients: doctors, nurses and other health staff setting standards at patient care, classification, operation techniques and at training stimulate documentation: patient data, database, findings and what has been done stimulate basic research in the obstetric fistula stimulate publication

5. role of iofwg platform as melting pot for ideas and initiatives to outline strategy of obstetric fistula prevention and follow it up by funding to outline strategy for world-wide obstetric fistula training (centers) and follow it up by funding to outline strategy for world-wide coverage of fistula care/surgery and follow it up by funding to outline strategy for rehabilitation of the incurables and follow it up by funding to start, organize and fund a world-wide mass campaign of immediate catheter treatment to fund basic research ensure transparancy

6. collaboration isofs-iofwg the (major) organizations should make use of the expertise of isofs and its individual members as consultants and/or as implementers in terms of outlining the strategies –as consultants in terms of care capacity building of vvf-centers –as consultants and implementers in terms of capacity building of human resources –as consultants and implementers in terms of research –as consultants and implementers in terms of prevention –as consultants isofs should provide the iofwg with the technical scientific expertise and iofwg should make an effort to streamline their work and assist with funding