Dr Andrew Browning, a Bowral-bred obstetrician who has transformed the lives of thousands of African women, doesn't want to take anything away from the world's urgent response to COVID-19.
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But he does wish some of that political will could be directed towards the medical condition he has spent his adult life trying to fight.
Obstetric fistulas - a debilitating condition resulting from obstructed childbirth - affects about two million women in Africa alone. And it's a condition that is most preventable.
"Fistula was common in the West back in the 1800s, but it was eradicated by allowing women to have access to medical care - if we took away that access, we'd have women and babies dying and fistulas in Australia," said Dr Browning.
"We know what it takes to prevent it, and it just takes medical care for delivery.
"So if we put in a similar reaction as we've had to covid, we could fix the problem."
Dr Browning will be in the Southern Highlands, where his parents (former obstetrician Dr David Browning and his wife Daphne) still live, on June 17 for a book launch at Centennial Vineyards Restaurant - an event which is already sold out.
His memoir - A Doctor in Africa - is available from bookstores and online, with all royalties from its sale going to the locally-run Barbara May Foundation, which supports his goal to eradicate fistula in Africa.
Based now in the Central Coast, after two decades in Africa, Dr Browning grew up around the hospital with his father delivering babies down the corridor.
"I swore I'd never be an obstetrician - he was always at work, always up at night," he said.
"In fact the first thing I did with him as a medical student was a hysterectomy at Bowral, and I fainted."
He has fond memories of a "very free life as a kid" in Bowral.
"I was always running around the creek and the Gib - we were given the freedom to explore the place independently, so later I had that confidence to explore the world," he said.
"But the most formative thing was committing myself to Christ.
"I remember going to Sunday School at St Jude's, and sitting at the feet of returned missionary from Tanzania and I decided that's what I'd do."
He notes that Bowral itself has changed "enormously" since then.
"You can't wander down the middle of the main street anymore," he said, referring to the increase in traffic.
Since returning from Africa in late 2017, Dr Browning has traveled constantly back and forth, continuing to operate and deliver babies.
He notes some fundamental differences between Africa and Australia with regards to medical expectations.
"Here there is a lack of awareness of how dangerous childbirth is," he said.
Here there is a lack of awareness of how dangerous childbirth is.
- Dr Andrew Browning
"If you took away modern care you'd have people dying every day, but people's expectation here is that it will go well and be fine, so then there's indignation when things go wrong.
"And if things don't go well, they blame the obstetrician."
He said that practicing here is, surprisingly, more stressful than in Africa, where people know how dangerous it is, so are delighted and grateful when things go well.
"In Africa, people are a lot more content and happier with less; in Australia people get angry when their 80 year old parent gets diagnosed with cancer.
"Instead of fighting a losing batle, we should be preparing ourselves for death and meeting our maker.
"In Africa, everyone's already prepared."
Dr Browning believes that the lack of interest in fixing the fistula problem stems from the remoteness of the situation to Westerners in general.
"Its hidden away, not happening on our front door," he said.
"It's mostly in rural Africa and South-East Asia, and of course there's so many other issues as well - 3,000 children are killed by malaria each day, 6,000 children die from poor drinking water per day.
"It's not happening in our face, so we don't react.
It's not happening in our face, so we don't react.
- Dr Andrew Browning
"It does take a global effort - those countries don't have resources to tackle it, but we do."
But he says there is a way for locals to help.
"You can pray for us, and you can help us financially," he said.
"$200 will enable a lady to have four antenatal visits and then deliver in the hospital, and $400 can treat a woman with fistula."
- Click here to give to the Barbara May Foundation. To order a copy of the book contact Jo.crowley@barbaramayfoundation.com ($34.99 plus postage).
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