At least 60 patients of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) have been staying at the Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital in Sokoto for upwards of five years without succour.
Chief Medical Director at the hospital, Dr Bello Lawal, made the declaration on Tuesday in Sokoto at a stakeholders’ strategic planning meeting for VVF activities.
The meeting was organised by the Sokoto State government in collaboration with USAID Momentum Project for Safe Surgery in Family Planning and Obstetrics.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the project is aimed at reducing fistula cases and to shun cultural norms in maternal health.
It also aimed to promote safe reproductive health services as well as improve poor reproductive health habits.
VVF is an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence.
Dr Lawal explained that the condition is among the most distressing complications of gynaecologic and obstetric procedures.
According to him, common causes of VVF are obstructed labour, early marriages, poverty, and women’s limited control over the use of family resources.
“The condition can cause a lot of discomfort, and if left untreated, it may cause serious bacterial infection.
“This may result in sepsis, a dangerous condition that can lead to low blood pressure, organ damage or even death.
“The condition can be reversed and repaired through surgery, however,’’ he said.
Dr Lawal said most of the 60 patients still in the hospital needed advanced surgery because of complications in their respective cases, adding that some had undergone first and second surgeries in the hospital.
He explained that the hospital had no option other than to allow such long stayed patients to remain in the facility as they faced stigma if returned to their settlements.
Lawal added that they were comfortable living within the hospital premises as they enjoyed individual, government and institutions supports while anticipating treatment.
He said some patients were taken to the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan in the past and they benefited from specialised palliative surgeries sponsored by some donor agencies.
“Many of them still require advance specialised surgeries that only few experts can handle; such experts do not visit the hospital often.
“We conduct routine VVF surgeries in this hospital; we also obtain piecemeal efforts with support from the UN Population Fund, Fistula Foundation and Global Affairs Canada.
“Since 2017 some patients still await advanced surgery; we have conducted about 285 VVF surgeries since the centre’s inception and need more hands to continue to excel,’’ Lawal said.
He added that a handful of donors also supported services in the hospital and expressed the hope that more experts would rescue the in-house patients with specialised surgeries.
In her remarks, the VVF Coordinator at the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, Hajia Halima Shehu, said the meeting was to fine-tune ways to anchor VVF programmes properly for maximum public awareness.
She said it was also designed to examine ways of prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of VVF patients.
Participants at the meeting were medical doctors, government officials, representatives of women groups, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders and journalists. (NAN)
