The Visco-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Hospital in Itu and Cottage Hospital in Okoroete, Eastern Obolo local government areas, Akwa Ibom state have both received medical equipment and cash gifts worth more than N2 million.
While the Visco-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Hospital received the sum of N350,000, the maternity unit of the Cottage Hospital got medical equipment worth N2 million.
The donations were given by Akwa Ibom Women Initiative (AIWA) based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Speaking yesterday in Mbribit Itam during the presentation of the money to the VVF hospital, founding member of AIWA, Dr. Umo Ekanem, said the women were delighted to be associated with the humanitarian work being done at the centre.
Dr Ekanem said the group would continue to support the centre to meet the needs of the less privileged especially women facing life threatening conditions like visco-vaginal fistula and recto-vaginal fistula.
She commended the management of the centre for the care and specialised treatment given to the women, whose organs had been damaged during prolonged obstructed labour in childbirth, which led to leakage of urine and faeces.
In her response, the matron in-charge of the Family Life Centre/VVF Hospital, Rev. Sister Sylvia Ndubuaka, thanked the women’s group for supporting the centre to care for the less privileged.
The matron noted that this gesture was the second time the centre had received the support from the group.
Ndubuaka said the centre usually carries out surgeries and reconstruct damaged vaginal tracts and bladder in women, as well as the provision of skills for them after treatment.
“We are happy, when we get help, we are faith-based organisation (FBO). In 2019, the Akwa Ibom State Government pulled out its staff members that used to work here.
“We treat people free of charge especially those who do not have any help, sometimes these women are abandoned because of leakage of urine and faeces,” she said.
At the Cottage Hospital in Okoroete, Eastern Obolo local government area, AIWA’s representative, Dr Nsekpong Udoh, said that the medical equipment donated by the group was meant for the maternity unit of the hospital.
Udoh noted that the donated items were identified during a needs assessment carried out by AIWA in the hospital.
Receiving the medical items on behalf of the management, the Hospital Secretary, Mr. Edward Josiah, thanked the women for their kind gesture.
Josiah said the hospital was delighted to receive the equipment for the maternity unit as it will help preserve lives.
