Overview
Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia is a registered charitable organization in Ethiopia dedicated to the treatment and prevention of childbirth injuries called obstetric fistulas. Drs Catherine and Reg Hamlin founded this organization in 1974 after being confronted with the tragic situation of Ethiopian women suffering from obstetric fistulas. Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia is dedicated to the treatment and prevention of childbirth injuries called obstetric fistulas. The organization was founded by Dr Reg Hamlin OBE and Dr Catherine Hamlin. They were in Ethiopia to train midwives when they discovered the terrible plight of the fistula patients. Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia directs the work of the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, its five regional hospitals, the Hamlin College of Midwives and Desta Mender, a farm and training centre for long term patients. Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia is a world-class centre of excellence for treating obstetric fistula patients and training obstetricians to specialize in this surgery. Rehabilitation programs assist former patients to reintegrate to village life. The organization also has a preventative strategy that aims to eradicate obstetric fistula from Ethiopia by providing trained midwives in the rural regions of the country. A board of nine trustees from Ethiopia, UK and Afghanistan oversee Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia. Chief Executive Officer, Martin Andrews, leads the day-to-day management of the organization with a committed team of administrators and health professionals. The Ethiopian staffs are the backbone of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia. There are over 500 staff across various sites: the main hospital in Addis Ababa, our five regional hospitals strategically located in the provinces, Desta Mender and the Hamlin College of Midwives.