Kaduna State Government has created an N50 million budget line for Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients in the 2020 budget for their treatment, food and skills training.
The state Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba made the disclosure at a high-level conference on Obstetric Fistula held in Kaduna.
She said that the state has over 12,000 untreated VVF cases, as the only VVF centre at Gambo Sawaba hospital can only treat 200 patients annually.
Hafsat said the state government is however meticulous in treating the VVF patients.
“In the first phase, patients are hospitalized for at least three weeks and they go through psycho-social aid process, which includes nutrition and counselling.
“The procedure stage is when surgery or repair is conducted on the patients. The third stage is when patients go through the rehabilitation process,’’ the commissioner said.
She further said that after the skills training, the patients receive starter packs to enable them to commence businesses after their treatment.
Gov. Nasir El-Rufai, who was represented by Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni, the Commissioner of Health, commended Fifth Chucker Polo and Country Club for the bold step in defining the partnership with the government and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to eradicate fistula in Kaduna state.
El-Rufai said his administration is focusing on prevention of new fistulas and combating the huge backlog in fistula repairs, totalling 12,000, by 2022. He lamented that Nigeria contributes 7.5% of the global fistula burden, with estimated 150,000 women and girls suffering from untreated fistulas and more than 12,000 new cases occurring every year.
‘’These numbers are not acceptable; not when the fistula is all but eliminated from the developed world,’’ he stressed.
‘’By working together, the Government, the Private Sector and Development Partners can unleash innovative ways of mobilizing the requisite ideas, expertise and resources and create shared accountability to tackle and end obstetric fistula in Kaduna State,’’ he added.
In his contribution, the governor’s Chief of Staff, Malam Muhammad Sani-Abdullahi promised that the government would provide N4.5 million for 100 fistula repair surgeries and N2.5 million for socio-economic rehabilitation of 25 indigent patients.
He added that the government would also support the recruitment of 10 vocational skills instructors at VVF Rehabilitation Unit of Gambo Sawaba Hospital Zaria and train six additional health workers on the management of Obstetric Fistula, including two surgeons.
The wife of Kaduna state governor, Hajiya Ummi El Rufai, who was the Ambassador of Fistula in the state, praised the ministry of health and staff of UNFPA for leading the fight against VVF.
According to El Rufai, many communities view fistula as a curse and hide the women and girls away instead of seeking medical help.
