800,000 women suffered from Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) annually in Nigeria

The United Nations Fund for
Population Activities (UNFPA) on
Saturday said about 800,000
women suffered from Vesico
Vaginal Fistula (VVF) annually in
Nigeria.
The Country Representative of
the fund in Nigeria, Ratidzai
Ndhlovu, disclosed this at the
graduation of 100 rehabilitated
women living with obstetric
Fistula in Sokoto.
Ndhlovu, represented by Dr Audu
Alayande, Assistant Country
Representative, Reproductive
Health, said one in every 10
women suffered from this
condition following childbirth.
Ndhlovu, who donated assorted
empowerment materials worth
N2.3 million to the graduands,
said most women who
developed fistula had probably
given birth at home with no
assistance from skilled birth
attendant.
“For this group of women,
everyday, they must cope with
the foul smell emanating from
their leaking urine and faeces,”
she added.
She lamented that most of the
affected women often lose their
babies following child birth
process.
“In the same vein, these women
down with VVF were often
abandoned by their husbands,
stigmatized by families and
communities, and later
ostracized.”
She said the graduands had
received a two-month training in
sewing and knitting, petty
trading and grinding machines
operations, among others.
She said the items given to them
would help them to be
productive and useful to
themselves.
“This gesture is aimed at helping
their reintegration process back
into the society and reduce their

stigmatization,” Ndhlovu said.
The Permanent Secretary, state
ministry for Women and Children
Affairs, Suleiman Sarkin-Fulani,
commended UNFPA for the
gesture.
Mr. Sarkin-Fulani said the state
government had staffed and
equipped Maryam Abacha
Hospital, which hosts VVF Centre
to enable it take care of its
patients.
He appealed to other donor
agencies, partner organizations
and wealthy individuals to assist
in treating and rehabilitating VVF
patients.
Musa Isa, the Executive Director,
Nigeria Fistula Foundation, urged
the beneficiaries to desist from
selling the items given to them.
One of the graduands, Balki
Saidu, commended the fund for
rescuing them from the
“shackles of poverty”.
(NAN)