Commemorating humanitarian Catherine Hamlin

Dr Catherine Hamlin AC MBBS MD FRCS FRANZCOG FRCOG was a world-renowned gynaecologist and women’s health advocate, who pioneered surgical techniques to help patients suffering from childbirth injuries.

She graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1946, and moved to Ethiopia with her husband Dr Reginald Hamlin in 1958 to set up a midwifery school at the Princes Tsehai Hospital.

While there, they discovered that many women were being cast out by their communities following birthing injuries like obstetric fistulas. Fistulas, which are rare in developed countries, cause incontinence and require surgery to repair. Although the condition is treatable, many Ethiopian women do not have access to health services or the means to pay for the necessary surgery.

Inspired by an American surgeon who had written about treating fistulas in the 1850s, the Hamlins developed a revolutionary surgical technique that could cure 93 percent of patients. While still working in Princess Tsehai Hospital, they delivered treatment to many women.

When demand became too high and the hospital reached capacity, the Hamlins constructed the world’s first hospital for the treatment of fistulas. Established in 1974, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital welcomed women and restored them to health free of charge. 

In the rare case that patients could not be healed by surgery, the Hamlins also built a village, Desta Mender, on 60 acres of land where women could retire safely without judgement from society.

After the death of Dr Reginald Hamlin OBE in 1993, Catherine pledged to continue the work they had begun together, although she was approaching 70 years of age.

She focused on increasing accessibility to treatment by expanding her medical team which has now grown to over 550 staff and acquiring a donated fleet vehicle so that the team could travel to regional hospitals to perform surgeries.

With additional funding from the Australian government and AUSAID, Dr Hamlin was able to grow Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital by building another 30-bed ward.

After more than 60 years living and working in Ethiopia, ensuring women return to health after childbirth complications, Dr Catherine Hamlin passed away on Wednesday 18 March 2020, at the age of 96. Her legacy lives on in the Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation which has one purpose – eradicate obstetric fistula forever.

In her lifetime, Dr Hamlin treated more than 60,000 patients across her six fistula hospitals. Her work has been recognised and celebrated with many different honours and awards, including being named a Member of the Order of Australia and later a Companion of the Order of Australia.

She was nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize and in 2009 won the Right Livelihood Award which is often referred to as an alternative Nobel Prize. In 2001, Dr Hamlin wrote a best-selling biography, A hospital by the river: A story of hope. 

The University of Sydney also honoured Dr Hamlin with a Doctor of Medicine Honoris Causa in 2015 and will continue to celebrate and acknowledge her outstanding contribution to medicine and the wider community for many years to come.