Injuries We Treat

childbirth in Uganda and sub-Saharan Africa

Across sub-Saharan Africa, childbirth remains one of the most dangerous experiences in a woman’s life. Limited access to emergency obstetric care, shortages of trained surgical providers, and delayed referral systems contribute to preventable injury and death.

In Uganda, there is approximately one doctor for every 25,000 people. In many rural districts, women must travel hours — sometimes days — to reach a hospital capable of performing emergency surgery. When labor becomes obstructed, time is critical. Without timely intervention, both mother and baby are at risk.

While maternal mortality has improved globally, severe childbirth injuries remain underreported and undertreated. For every woman who dies in childbirth, many more survive with life-altering complications.

These injuries are not rare. They are the predictable result of gaps in access, infrastructure, and training.

Severe childbirth injuries are not accidents. They occur when health systems cannot respond in time.

Delays in diagnosis, unsafe or poorly supervised cesarean deliveries, limited anesthesia capacity, and overcrowded facilities all contribute to preventable harm. In some cases, women labor for days without skilled care. In others, surgery is available but not safely performed.

These injuries reflect structural gaps — not individual failure.

Addressing them requires more than individual operations. It requires trained specialists, equipped operating theaters, reliable referral pathways, and sustained institutional support.

That is where The Musa Project focuses its work.

The Most Severe Injuries We Treat

Many women arrive at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital or our partner location hospitals after living with injury for years, sometimes decades.

Obstetric Fistula

An abnormal opening between the birth canal and bladder or rectum that causes constant leakage of urine or stool, frequent infections, and profound social isolation.

Severe Perineal Tears

Extensive childbirth injuries that damage muscles and tissues essential for continence and pelvic support, often left unrepaired after delivery.

Advanced Pelvic Organ Prolapse

A painful and disabling condition in which the uterus, bladder, or rectum descends due to damaged pelvic muscles following traumatic or repeated childbirth.

Complex Surgical Complications

Including scarring, nerve damage, and injuries caused by delayed or unsafe cesarean sections that require advanced reconstructive surgery.

Caring for Girls with Complex Injuries

In addition to adult patients, Musa and his surgical team treat approximately ten young girls each year who were either born with congenital fistulas or sustained severe genital injuries early in life. These cases require highly specialized care and long-term follow-up, underscoring the need for surgical systems capable of treating patients across the lifespan.

Understanding Childbirth Injuries