International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

The cost of an iPad in the US could be enough to dramatically change the life of a fistula patient in Africa.

Dr Steve Arrowsmith and colleagues are trying to raise $500,000 to cover the operating costs of a fistula hospital in Danja, Niger, which would allow 1,000 women to receive treatment.

"The problem is that an amount like that, less than the cost of an iPad in the States, is too much for the average African who suffers from the problem," he told the New York Times.

He explained that if left untreated African women face a harsh reality. They are often treated as "pariahs" by society as their husbands divorce them and they are forced to live on the outskirts of their community.

Fistula patients often feel deeply ashamed and avoid eating to prevent incontinence. Many die alone due to starvation or severe infection.

According to the World Health Organization, two million females worldwide are currently living with fistula.

Posted by Alexandra George