NEDC, Borno state government conduct free fistula surgery to 100 women.
The Northeast Development Commission NEDC in partnership with Borno state government have provided free fistula surgery to one hundred women in Maiduguri.
The two weeks free fistula repair campaign was carried out at the State Specialist Hospital with patients drawn from Borno and other neighbouring States.
Correspondent Dauda Iliya reports that some of the survivors have spent many years in hospital awaiting the surgery.
Cue in: obstetric fistula is among the leading health emergency among women in the county.
Statistics indicate that 12,000 new fistula cases are been recorded every year with significant number coming from the northeast region due to protracted insurgency occasioned by increased poverty.
Aside from the main symptom which is uncontrolled discharge of urine, fistula patients also suffer from psychological distress due to dejection and stigma from their husbands and members of immediate family.
Fifty year Falmata Modu have been suffering from fistula for about thirty years and have undergone more than ten surgeries while Hadiza Ali has been battling with the case for fifteen years and spent four years in hospital awaiting surgery.
My family have rejected me, when my husband was told I have VVF, he said I will never be normal again, it was my mother that took care of me, now she is no more and boko haram have destroyed our community lamented Hadiza Ali.
Falmata Modu said “Am feeling better now, but I still experience leak of urine from my bladder whenever I am standing, am appealing to government to help me with shelter, I have spent more than twenty years in this hospital, I want to be with my family”.
To address the plight of this vulnerable women, the Northeast Development Commission promised to empower the survivors to become productive members of the society.
Managing Director of the Commission Alhaji Mohammed Akali said two centers of excellence would be established to manage fistula cases in the region.
“We make sure this challenges are been addressed as quickly as possible so that more women will be treated “.
Chairman governing board of NEDC Major General Paul Tarfa rtd represented by Hajiya Asma’u Mohammed assured that similar campaigns will be conducted in the remaining five states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
She urged the survivors to strictly adhere to medical advice in order to remain fistula free.
Wife of Borno state Governor Hajiya Falmata Babagana Zulum represented by the Commissioner Ministry for Health Mrs Juliana Bitrus appreciated the North East Development Commission for the support.
The Wife of the state Governor appealed to the Commission to establish a fistula center to address the growing number of obstetric fistula in the state.
Dauda Iliya
