Dr. Ana Langer: One of the "21 Leaders for the 21st Century"

Please join all of us at EngenderHealth in congratulating Dr. Ana Langer, our president, for her recognition as one of the "21 Leaders for the 21st Century" by Women's eNews, an independent online news service. Every year, Women’s eNews selects and honors 21 outstanding people who have improved the lives of women and girls worldwide. This year, Dr. Langer was chosen for her leadership and dedication to improving the health of women and families in some of the world’s poorest communities. Ana’s profile is featured today under “Seven Who Rewrite the Rules,” which you can read here. Other honorees this year include: Kathy Cloninger (CEO of Girl Scouts), Tonya Lewis Lee (author and television producer), and Patricia Gruber (Peter & Patricia Gruber Foundation).

Experts Meeting to Address Obstetric Fistula in Rwanda

KIGALI, RWANDA—Leading experts and physicians working in the reproductive and maternal health field will convene in Kigali December 7–8, 2009, to identify challenges and solutions to a pressing and preventable health concern in Rwanda—obstetric fistula. Hosted by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Rwanda Medical Association and the U.S. Agency for International Development-supported Fistula Care Project (managed by EngenderHealth), the meeting will engage policymakers, health officials, medical staff, and community leaders to set achievable goals for preventing fistula and improving Rwandan women’s health.

Fistula affects an estimated 2–4 million women globally, including in Rwanda. It is a devastating gynecological injury usually caused by prolonged labor without medical intervention or cesarean section. As a result, women with fistula have chronic leakage of urine and/or feces. In most cases, fistula can be repaired through surgery, and it is almost always preventable—with timely, high-quality obstetric care as well as family planning.

At the meeting, national and international experts will strategize on how to best to integrate family planning with maternal health services to prevent fistula and improve the health and lives of Rwandan women. Leading physicians will be available to offer their expertise and comment on the issues, including:

• Dr. Isaiah Ndong, Vice President for Programs, EngenderHealth
• Dr. Joseph Ruminjo, Clinical Director of Fistula Care, EngenderHealth
• Dr. Theobald Hategekimana, Director, University Central Hospital of Kigali
• Dr Serigne Magueye Gueye, Fistula Master Trainer, Cheikh Anta Diop University/Grand Yoff General Hospital, Senegal

The meeting will be held at the Serena Hotel in Kigali. Members of the media are invited to attend the opening ceremony on December 7 and the morning session on December 8. Please contact Kellen Kebikomi by telephone at 250-25257-0912 or by email at kkebikomi@engenderhealth.org to confirm your attendance.

About Fistula Care
The Fistula Care project is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by USAID and managed by EngenderHealth. The project works to address the enormous backlog of women awaiting life-altering fistula repair, ensuring they receive timely and quality care from trained providers. At the same time, we work to remove barriers to emergency obstetric care that lead to fistula in the first place, so that women in labor get to the right place with the right services at the right time. The project is supporting a network of facilities offering a continuum of services, from emergency obstetric care, referrals, and family planning, to complex fistula repairs and advanced surgical training. Visit www.fistulacare.org for more information or contact us at: fistulacare@engenderhealth.org.

About EngenderHealth
EngenderHealth is a leading international reproductive health organization working to improve the quality of health care in the world’s poorest communities. EngenderHealth empowers people to make informed choices about contraception, trains health providers to make motherhood safer, promotes gender equity, enhances the quality of HIV and AIDS services, and advocates for positive policy change. The nonprofit organization works in partnership with governments, institutions, communities, and health care professionals in more than 20 countries around the world. For more than 65 years, EngenderHealth has reached more than 100 million people to help them realize a better life. For more information, visit www.engenderhealth.org.

(From the EngenderHealth press release)