THE PRICE OF HOPE: PATIENTS BATTLE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR FIBROID SURGERY.

 VIEWER  DISCRETION IS ADVICED.

Fibroids extracted during a surgical procedure   
SOURCE: Mayo Clinic

For many women diagnosed with fibroids, the pain goes far beyond heavy bleeding and sleepless nights. It comes with an even greater burden, the desperate search for money to pay for life-changing surgery, forcing many patients and their families into fundraising campaigns just to hold on to hope.

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus. While some women experience no symptoms, others suffer from severe pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, frequent urination, and difficulty conceiving. In cases where it is in the uterus or too large, doctors often recommend surgery as the most effective treatment.

According to the  National Library Of Medicine fibroids occur in more than 80% of African women and 70% in white women.  In Ghana, pelvic scans show prevalence rates between 24.5% and 36.9%.

Beyond the medical toll, fibroids impose a crushing economic burden. Some women pay between GH₵4,000–GH₵8,000 in public hospitals, and GH₵8,000–GH₵30,000 or more in private facilities. For many, this cost pushes them into poverty.

For 35-year-old Diana Somuah Gyamfuah, that recommendation marked the beginning of another struggle. Although doctors advised her to undergo surgery, the cost was beyond what she and her family could afford. She described the experience as overwhelming.  “It was a very difficult situation. I had to sell some of the things in my room and also borrow money from friends before I could undergo the surgery,” she said.

Fibroid Survivor

Despite working as a teacher, Gyamfuah said her salary was not enough to cover the cost of the surgery.

“Whenever I asked people for a loan, they would ask, ‘Aren’t you a teacher?’ They expected that because I was working, I should be able to afford it. But at the time, I was also in school, so my salary went into paying my tuition, feeding and other expenses. There was little left for the surgery,” she said.

Diana Gyamfuah engaging her students in class room

Patience Dautey another fibroid victim shares the challenges she faced in raising money for her fibroid surgery.

Fibroid Foundation Africa (FibFA) is a non-profit organisation that supports women living with fibroids by providing education, awareness, and assist them in treatment, including support for surgery costs.

A non- profit organisation that supports women with fibroid in Ghana 
 SOURCE : FibFA Website

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Kosare, the CEO of Fibroid Foundation Africa, in an interview with Radio IFT says “We have been in existence since 2019, and we have reached out to over 3,000 women. We provide counselling and support to them throughout their treatment journey. In terms of surgery, we have supported about 30 women,”  

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Kosare, CEO of Fibroid Foundation Africa

The financial weight on these women is devastating. For someone struggling to afford even three basic meals a day, the leap to a GH¢4,000 or GH¢30,000 surgery bill is an impossible hurdle. The government and the NHIA must move beyond assurances and ensure that hospitals fully honor the NHIS policy. No woman with an active insurance card should be forced to choose between her health and her survival.

 A  level 300 student production by Josephine Crentsil