DUTSE – More than 100 women suffering from Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF)
have benefited from free surgical treatment initiated by the Jigawa
Government, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Tafida Abubakar, said.
Abubakar told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Dutse, that
227 VVF cases were recorded in the state, while more than 100 clients were
rehabilitated within the last 12 months.
He said that the clients were treated at the VVF Rehabilitation Centre,
Jahun, adding that the process included surgical and psychological
rehabilitation as well skill acquisition training.
“For last year we had 227 cases but the ones that graduated were about a
hundred plus. The management of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) involves a
very tedious and meticulous process and there are three to four categories
to the management.
“Number one; the young lady, who is practically being abandoned by the
family and the husband, is carried to the hospital because of the problem;
so, we now look at the problem and see what the related complications are.
“The surgical intervention is the second aspect; the third aspect is the
social rehabilitation of the patients; it takes months for her to heal
properly and you have to link-up with her family and community so that they
will be paying a visit.
“And sometimes the husband might abandon her, which is a lot more painful
than the physical injury. So, our social workers always work with them to
prepare them psychologically and socially to accept these societal
misnomers.”
Abubakar said that the clients were also trained on trades to enable them
become self-reliant and productive members of the society.
He said that the measure was to reduce stigma and facilitate their
integration into the society.
“In addition to the psychological preparations, you have to give them some
economic empowerment; we make them to choose what they are supposed to go
for training either tailoring or to make petty things in the hospital.
“You carry her back to the community and then link-up with a social worker,
who will be visiting her, she goes there with her dignity and economically
empowered because she need to be accepted within the community.
“You have to be going there, visit her and link-up with other members of
the family and if the husband is there, you also have to co-opt that
husband and make sure that he helps her develop herself into a self-esteem
woman. ”
According to him, the ministry is sensitising the rehabilitated women to
the need to attend ante natal clinic and be delivered in the hospital to
avoid complications. (NAN)
