The Jigawa State Government, in collaboration with Fistula Foundation Nigeria (FFN), with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), have rehabilitated, trained and empowered 50 survivors of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF).
The Director of Fistula Foundation Nigeria Dr. Musa Isa, said during the graduation ceremony of the 50 women in Jahun, that services rendered were free of charge including the Empowerment programme.
He listed the services to include surgery, medications, skills acquisition training and provision of empowerment kits.
He said, “The survivors underwent four months of skills acquisition training in tailoring, goat farming, and extraction of groundnut oil, among other skills.”
He urged them to be ambassadors of fistula by sensitising pregnant women on the importance of antenatal and the dangers of prolonged
labour.
He called for a law to deal with any husband who neglected or divorced his wife as a result of a fistula problem.
For their part, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare appreciated UNFPA and the state government for their support for the successful surgery, training and empowerment of the
survivors.
They also welcomed the Fistula Foundation for the Development of their People in Jigawa State
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke on behalf of the survivors thanked and appreciated the state government and the UNFPA for saving our lives.
“VVF, also called fistula, is an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary
incontinence.
“The only way to fix VVF is with surgery to close the opening but sometimes, additional procedures are needed to correct the original
cause of the problem, such as damage to the bladder. Surgery to correct VVF is generally successful.”
