Meet our Clinical Team: Dr Biniyam Sirak

Dr Biniyam Sirak, Medical Director and Surgeon, Hamlin’s Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital

Dr Biniyam Sirak joined Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia nine years ago and is the Medical Director at Hamlin’s Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. He is also the Assistant Professor of Urogynaecology at Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital.

Biniyam’s connection to Hamlin is certainly unique: he was born at Desta Mender, Hamlin’s rehabilitation centre! At the time of Biniyam’s birth, the grounds on which Desta Mender currently sits was the site of an orphanage at which Biniyam’s father worked.

Inspired to act

Biniyam was inspired to work at Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia by Dr Catherine Hamlin’s selfless commitment to ensuring Ethiopia’s most vulnerable women got the life-changing maternal healthcare they deserve.

The Hamlin Model of Care, which prioritises excellence in care and treating each patient with the dignity and respect she deserves, shapes how Biniyam approaches his work treating fistula patients. He says:

“The selflessness of our founders, Drs Reg and Catherine Hamlin in establishing such a specialised centre for the marginalised women of my country remains the inspiration behind my choice to prioritise helping these women.

Hamlin is a centre of excellence in its holistic and patient-centred care. The dream Drs Catherine and Reg Hamlin was to eradicate fistula from Ethiopia. There is nothing that I would love more than continuing the Hamlins’ work. No words can explain my gratitude to both of them.”

Fistula will be eradicated

Dedicated surgeons like Dr Biniyam Sirak will perform around 3,500 life-changing fistula surgeries at six Hamlin fistula hospitals across Ethiopia this year. Biniyam himself has treated hundreds of women with fistula. He has this to say to supporters:

“Because of your support we are here giving life back. Most of the time doctors talk about quality of life but when you consider obstetric fistula it is not about quality of life.

It is life or nothing. In the process, we are serving humanity. Thank you so much.”

With continued support from around the world, Binyam knows fistula can be eradicated through Project Zero. He told us:

“Project Zero is a huge task for us. It has three phases delivering direct and sustainable change for Ethiopian women: Identification and Treatment of patients, Education and Prevention.

We are going house to house in each woreda (district), finding women who have been hidden away because of their birth injuries, and bringing them in for treatment.

The team here, along with supporters from the other side of the world, will make sure it happens. Eventually all historic cases will be treated.”

Dr Biniyam Sirak is part of Hamlin’s dedicated clinical and treatment team. Click here to meet our clinical team.