The United Nations Fund Population (UNFPA) on Tuesday commenced surgical operations for at least 150 women who are currently suffering from vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) in Borno state.
It also noted that the campaign and surgical operations will last for two week in Borno and adjoining states.
UNFPA’s acting Representative, Dr. Eugene Kongnyuy, disclosed that the two-week campaign and surgical operations was supported by Canadian government and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to eliminate fistula and for improved access to maternal and child healthcare in Borno State.
He said that about 150,000 women are currently living with fistula in the country adding that if the health system response appropriately during child labour, it will ends.
"So if we have sound health system where women are coming for labour we will minimize the fistulas. In developed world, we don’t have fistulas anymore; it has completely been eliminated but in Nigeria we have close to 150, 000 women who are currently living with fistula.
"They don’t have face to smile in their life; the only way to bring back the smile is to do surgical operations. I can bet you we can prevent fistulas if our health system is functioning well," he said.
The UNFPA boss explained that the caused could be trace to women who get pregnancy when their systems was not matured, saying prolonged labours and child or early marriage usually caused it.
"We are on Fistulas campaign to repair the women who are suffering from vaginal abnormalty; some of them have been abandoned by their families, relations and husbands. The hope is that the repair will be done for them.
“What we do at UNFPA is to organize campaigns once or twice in a year; the campaign is to remind the populace that this fistulas can be prevented and that the cause is child marriage and an health system that was unable to respond appropriately when a woman is in labour." Dr. Eugene said.
A Professor of Urologist at the University of Paris, Prof. Alain Le Duc said he brought some equipment that will hasten the VVF operations.
"I am particular concerns about the women living with fistula, I came with new devices to rectify and repair the women suffering from this fistula but what strike me is that many women have been operated upon, but they are yet to repair; so each additional operation made it complicated; I hope after the repairs, they will be safe and more young African doctors need to be trained,” Prof. Alain said.
Other two international surgeons namely Dr. Claude Dumurger and Dr. Ludovic Falandry assured that all women living with fistula shall smile again the repairs.
Nigerian surgeons who are participating in the campaign include: Prof. Sunday Adeoye, Dr. Sunday Lengman, Dr. Ayi Etim, Dr. Mairinga Abdulkareem, Dr. Kwaya Bura and Dr. Filibus Sunday.
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