Foundation targets 50 VVF patients for free repair surgery in Sokoto — Official
Fistula Foundation Nigeria (FFN), an NGO, in collaboration with the Sokoto State Government and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), have commenced free repair surgery on 50 Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients at Maryam Abacha Fistula Treatment Centre in Sokoto State.
The FFN Director, Mr Musa Isa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Wednesday that the exercise, which was being funded by Global Affairs Canada, started on Nov. 22 and would run untill Nov. 25.VVF is an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence, and is among the most distressing complications of gynecologic and obstetric procedures.The common causes of VVF have been traced to obstructed labour, early marriage, poverty and women’s limited control over the use of family resources.The condition can cause a lot of discomfort and, if left untreated, it may cause serious bacterial infection, which may result in sepsis, a dangerous condition that can lead to low blood pressure, organ damage or even death.
The director, therefore, said that a team of three doctors and six nurses were deployed to handle both normal and complex cases that needed specialised services at the Fistula Treatment centre.He added that “at present, 12 successful repairs which are all fresh cases have been conducted, 38 patients screened so far, while many are trooping to the centre.”
He explained that more women living with fistula would be screened from different parts of the country “as the exercise continues in piecemeal.”
He thanked the government and people of Canada for making it possible to have VVF treatment in the country and
urged women and girls living with the condition from any part of the country to register at the centre for the surgery.
The Sokoto State VVF Coordinator at the Ministry of Health, Malama Zainab Muhammad-Yabo, commended the donors for the support.
Muhammad-Yabo said that the state had taken delivery of consumables and other kits from supporting organisations, while it
ensured adequate planning and logistics to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
She called for increased partnerships between state governments and NGOs to assist in identifying more patients so that they could also benefit, stressing that efforts must be intensified in view of the increasing number of cases.
The coordinator expressed satisfaction with the attitude of the workers and patients to the exercise and urged the hospital community to support the exercise.
Some of the patients interviewed at the treatment centre told NAN that they contracted VVF after child birth in the hospital, while others traced their cases to home delivery, while other patients said they got the condition after surgery for a different illness. (NAN)
