U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) won approval for his Amendment to H.R. 2601, The Foreign Relations Authorization Act, that will help thousands of women suffering from a painful condition called obstetric fistula. Smith, the Vice Chairman of the International Relations Committee, is the author of H.R. 2601 and offered the Amendment to expand the new healthcare program that will be created by his legislation.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) won approval for his Amendment to H.R. 2601, The Foreign Relations Authorization Act, that will help thousands of women suffering from a painful condition called obstetric fistula. Smith, the Vice Chairman of the International Relations Committee, is the author of H.R. 2601 and offered the Amendment to expand the new healthcare program that will be created by his legislation.
Obstetric fistula is an excruciatingly painful hole or rupture in tissues surrounding a woman’s birth canal, bladder, or rectum that is caused by rape, physical abuse or untreated, obstructed labor. It is estimated that 2 million women – predominantly in Africa – are suffering from this condition which causes nearly 8% of maternal deaths each year.
“Obstetric fistula can be treated and repaired through a relatively minor surgical procedure that costs as little as $150 per patient,” said Smith, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations. “Still, a large percentage of women who suffer tremendous pain and isolation in the developing world are unaware that the treatment exists and may spend their lives suffering needlessly from this condition.”
Specifically, the original provision – put into the bill by Rep. Smith – establishes a new program to fund 12 centers for the treatment and prevention of obstetric fistula and provides $10 million to help women in the developing world without the resources for proper care during FY2006 and FY2007.
The Amendment added by Smith during floor debate on his bill adds another $2.5 million, provides women with more skilled birthing attendants and removes restrictive language from the original bill that would have prohibited faith-based hospitals – which the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has identified for the program – from receiving funding.
“These centers will provide treatment and surgery that will allow hundreds of thousands of women to be physically cured and emotionally healed from this devastating condition – preventing disease, death and allowing them to return to normal life,” said Smith.
Debate on the Foreign Relations Authorization bill resumed on Wednesday, July 20, and a vote for final passage is expected by the end of House business.
