Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi meets his youngest daughter at the school bus in Kathmandu. He is a leading fistula surgeon in Nepal, and says his two daughters inspire him to work for a future where women's health is prioritised.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi prepares himself for the working day in the parking lot outside the Social Service Hospital, Kathmandu.
Patients in the corridor of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department at the Social Services Hospital of Kathmandu wait to be seen by Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi inside the Social Services Hospital of Kathmandu makes his way to see patients recovering from fistula sugeries.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi attends to a patient in the Social Services Hospital of Kathmandu.
A model of a uterus inside Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi's office, as seen while he consults with a patient in the Social Services Hospital of Kathmandu.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi attends to a patient in the Social Services Hospital of Kathmandu.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi briefs his colleagues in the staff room of the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Dharan.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi washes his hands in preparation for surgery in the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Dharan.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi and colleagues prepare a patient for surgery in theatre in the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Dharan.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi performs corrective fistula surgery in theatre at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Dharan.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi performs corrective fistula surgery in theatre at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Dharan.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi performs corrective fistula surgery in theatre at the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Dharan.
Staff members at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences fold surgical gowns and blankets next to the operating theatre.
A patient awaits to be seen by staff members in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department at the Social Services Hospital Kathmandu.
A view of the corridor leading to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, where Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi works.
Momina Khatun, 32, an iatrogenic fistula survivors, poses for a portrait outside her home in Janakpur.
Momina Khatun's father-in-law and children inside their home in Janakpur.
Bechni Mandal, 40, survivor of obstetric fistula, takes a drink of water in Janakpur. Prior to her corrective surgery, she describes having developed a fear of consuming liquids in case they would make her urinate uncontrollably in social situations.
Somni Das, 45, a survivor of iatrogenic fistula, poses for a portrait at the entrance of her home in Janakpur.
Somni Das, 45, a survivor of iatrogenic fistula, shows scars in her lower abdomen from her hysterectomy at her home in Janakpur.
A view of Janakpur from the rooftop of Nirmala Mandal's home with laundry set out to dry. Nirmala Mandal is a survivor of iatrogenic fistula and described how the constant leaking of urine would cause her to have to wash clothes and bedsheets continuously.
The Rise of Surgical Fistula
In 2022, Momina Khatun was advised by a doctor to have a hysterectomy to solve her abdominal pain issues. Eight days post-op, she realised the surgery had gone wrong; she had started uncontrollably leaking urine. But going back to her doctor for corrective surgery made things go from bad to worse. On the operating table, Momina almost lost her life.
The declining rate of obstetric fistula, an injury sustained in child birth, could be read as a positive sign for developing nations. More and more pregnant women are seeking out medical support and prenatal care. But reports are now warning that a new form of fistula is on the rise, and this trend is global in scale. Iatrogenic fistula is caused by doctor error, malpractice, or negligence.
Dr Mohan Chandra Regmi is the leading specialist fistula surgeon in Nepal. He says around 60% of fistula cases he now sees in order to perform corrective surgery are iatrogenic, compared with 30% in 2018. He believes that while the healthcare industry as a whole is growing in Nepal with more hospitals, clinics, and doctors available, the quality of care is also declining.
This ongoing photo and short film project documents women in South Asia affected by fistula, and the trailblazing surgeons trying to help them. Shot for The Telegraph, and UNFPA.