Fifty women VVF survivors Empower in Jigawa State.

 

By Ibrahim Abubakar 

The Jigawa  State Government, in collaboration with Fistula Foundation Nigeria (FFN), with support from UN Population Fund (UNFPA), rehabilitated, trained and empowered 50 survivors of Visicovaginal 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 include the Empowerment program it's also free.

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, 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 dangers of prolonged

labour.

He called for a law to deal with any husband who neglected or divorced his wife as a result of fistula problem.

On their parts Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, appreciated UNFPA and the state government over their support for the successful surgery, training and empowerment of the survivors.

They also welcomed the fistula Foundation for Development of their people in Jigawa State 

Some of the beneficiary 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.”