Commissioner for Women Affairs in Borno State, Hajiya Innah Galadima said government is worried over increasing cases of Vesico Virginal Fistula, VVF.
She, therefore, said government had initiated community sensitization to eliminate traditional practices among women in local areas to address the scourge.
Galadima, who was represented by the permanent secretary ministry of women affairs, Ladi Bappa stated this Tuesday at the flag-off of one week training programme on Rehabilitation and Reintegration of 40 treated VVF Patients in Maiduguri, said all stakeholders including governments at all level, health workers, religious and traditional leaders should come together to find solution to the VVF problem among women.
“We must put heads together to find a lasting solution to prevent Vesico Virginal Fistula among our women and girls to save the future generations of women. This can be done through community sensitization and mobilization by devising means of eliminating those deeply rooted traditions and practices that encouraged its prevalence”, the commissioner stated.
She said the one-week training was organized by the ministry with support from the UNFPA to rehabilitate and reintegrate already treated 40 patients of VVF in the state so as to make them settle down in the society.
She said training was central to human capacity development, adding that absence of training breeds ignorance and hinder meaningful development and change.
She identified obstructed labour, prolonged second stage labour, ignorance, poverty, illiteracy and some cultural practices like female genital mutilation (female circumcision); application of salt during labour popularly known in Northern Nigeria as ‘Yankan gishiri’, as causes of VVF.
The commissioner lauded UNFPA which is the donor agency, for its support, pointing out that the organization contributed greatly through the Federal Ministry of Health and Fistula Care to develop a comprehensive referral documents to train health workers to serve as guide in the “provision of holistic, respectful, simple and affordable, quality and evidence based care for obstetric fistula”.
She noted that the training was timely judging from increasing rate of VVF in the country. According to her, a report published in December 2011 indicated that 800, 000 women are living with VVF in Nigeria, urging the organization not to relent in its campaigns.
She also appealed to the Borno State government to continue the training programme even after the expiration of UNFPA intervention.
The guest speaker from the Centre on Enhancement of Small Scale Businesses in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Engr Mohammed Zarma, harped on how to run and sustain businesses.
He said women need to have a roadmap for a business idea, stressing “You will need to be prudent, determined and focused”.
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