PM Abiy Offers Condolences over Passing Away of "Gem Person" Hamlin

Addis Ababa, March 19/2020 (ENA) Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has offered his condolences over the death of Dr. Catherine Hamlin, a woman who dedicated over sixty years of her life to restoring the dignity of thousands of female fistula victims in Ethiopia, and the establishment of the world's only medical centre dedicated exclusively to providing free obstetric fistula repair surgery to poor women.

The premier wrote in his Twitter page that Ethiopia has lost a true gem who dedicated more than sixty years to restoring the dignity of thousands of women.

Abiy offered his condolences to her family, friends and colleagues.

Similarly, in its condolences to family and colleagues of the deceased, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it mourns the demise of Dr. Catherine Hamlin, who dedicated life to bringing back the dignity and well-being of Ethiopian women.

Her selfless devotion to maternal and infant health care will always be in the mind of Ethiopians, it added.

Today, Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia is a health care network of over 550 Ethiopian staff servicing six hospitals, including the Desta Mender Rehabilitation Center, the Hamlin College of Midwives and 80 Hamlin supported midwifery clinics.

Over the past 61 years, more than 60,000 Ethiopian women have received the life-changing reconstructive surgery for obstetric fistula, thanks to the dedication of the great lady and her late husband.