Fistula Foundation Nigeria on Thursday donated 30 cartoons of fistula repair kits to Evangel Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) Centre, Jos.
The Director of the foundation, Mr Musa Isa, said while presenting the items in Jos, that the gesture was to support women who had to undergo fistula surgery to correct the anomaly.
Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence.
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The condition, which can be repaired through surgery, mostly occurs following prolonged surgery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the repair kits donation was in partnership with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and Johnson and Johnson.
Isa said “each carton contain items that will repair 20 patients. Our foundation is supporting 16 countries with fistula repair surgeries.”
He added that the foundation was supporting the centre with surgical consumables and working toward a rehabilitation programme for the VVF patients.
He explained that the foundation also launches Basic Level Training for four doctors and eight nurses on Obstetric Fistula Management from Bauchi and Sokoto states.
He then urged the doctors and nurses to be attentive to learn how to manipulate fistula, saying it was a privilege to be trained by international fistula experts.
The Director of Evangel VVF Centre, Dr Sunday Lengmang, thanked the foundation for the donation, noting that the condition had devastated the lives of many women, especially in poor countries.
He said fistula surgery was elective, as the centre was closed in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that it had since reopened, with more than 30 surgeries done on patients.
He said the training was apt as there was inadequate medical personnel to handle VVF cases in the country.
“This training will enable outreaches in difficult localities and give the patients new chance to have a fulfilled life,” he said.
Dr Abdul-Hammed Mahdi, a participant of the basic level training from Bauchi, said that the training would further equip him with the requisite technical skills for the takeoff of the VVF Centre in Bauchi State.
He said the training would be stepped down for caregivers at the remote areas to help prevent and treat the disease at both local and general health centres.
A Nurse from Sokoto, Mrs Helen Udama, commended the organisers of the training, saying it would build their capacity for proper care for VVF patients.