Up to 80% of women affected by fibroids – yet awareness, diagnosis, and care remain under-addressed
July marks Fibroid Awareness Month, a time to shed light on a condition that silently affects the lives of millions of women across East, Central, and Southern Africa. Uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths of the uterus—affect up to 80% of women by age 50, yet the condition remains under-discussed, frequently misdiagnosed, and poorly understood within many communities.
In support of this important awareness month, the East, Central, and Southern Africa College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ECSACOG) is renewing its commitment to building healthcare capacity through professional training and education, enabling improved diagnosis, treatment, and support for women living with fibroids across the region.
While fibroids are common, they can lead to a wide range of debilitating symptoms including heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, pressure symptoms, and in some cases, infertility or complications during pregnancy. Many women delay seeking care due to stigma, lack of information, or limited access to gynecological services—particularly in rural and underserved areas.
ECSACOG’s approach to tackling this silent burden includes equipping healthcare professionals with the skills to identify, counsel, and manage fibroids appropriately. Through its network of accredited training sites, ECSACOG integrates modules on fibroid diagnosis and management into its postgraduate curriculum, ensuring that emerging specialists are competent in both clinical care and patient-centered communication.
In addition to formal training, ECSACOG supports ongoing professional development for in-service healthcare providers through webinars, workshops, and continuing medical education (CME) courses. These platforms allow providers to stay up to date with the latest research, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and medical therapies available for fibroid management.
Efforts to improve awareness and care are also supported by ECSACOG’s partnerships with Ministries of Health, hospitals, and national professional societies across the region. Together, these partnerships aim to increase public understanding of fibroids and reduce delays in diagnosis through community outreach and better-equipped referral systems.
This year, ECSACOG calls on all healthcare professionals to use Fibroid Awareness Month as a platform to educate patients, demystify the condition, and advocate for timely care. Women deserve access to accurate information, compassionate clinical support, and a range of treatment options suited to their needs.
By investing in the training of gynecologists, improving provider-patient dialogue, and supporting system-level change, ECSACOG continues to advance its mission of equitable, high-quality reproductive health care throughout the region.
Together, we can break the silence and improve the lives of women affected by fibroids.