The National Obstetric Fistula Centre (NOFIC) in Ebonyi says it has repaired 42 patients of fistula from 11 states at the treatment centre.
The Medical Director of the centre, Dr Johnson Obuna, gave the figure in Abakaliki on Tuesday during the discharge ceremony of repaired patients.
Obuna said that the patients were spread across 11 states which includes Ebonyi, Edo, Rivers, Abia, Delta, Kogi, Cross River, Lagos, Anambra, Enugu and Imo.
He said the treatment were sponsored by the Office of the Wife of the Ebonyi Governor, Mr Rachael Umahi, NOFIC and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Obuna said that one of the major causes of obstetric fistula was obstructed labour and poor obstetric services.
He added that the society was also contributing to complications associated with the condition by allowing quacks to operate.
“Fistula is a social problem and preventable disease in the sense that if the society cared for these women, it would have been prevented.
“A pregnant woman has no business with a chemist shop for antenatal services rather she should visit well trained doctors and midwives to avoid complications.
“Also, health care workers should stop been greedy but be professionals.
“I appeal that pregnant women should be allowed to go for antenatal services in a standard hospital because many women due to ignorance on how to access standard obstetric service or antenatal, resort to quacks or deliver at home.
“And many of them lose their babies, lives or both and those who survived, end up with other complications, including obstetric fistula due to absent or poorly supervised labour.
“I enjoin the repaired patients to adhere strictly to these: abstain from sex for at least six months, avoid pregnancy for at least one year. Never patronise quacks again,” he said.
He commended the hospital management, the foundation and UNFPA for their supports and called for more assistance.
In her remark, Mrs Umahi encouraged women to avoid the health condition by availing themselves to qualified medical services during pregnancy as major way to avoid fistula.
Umahi, represented by her Special Assistant on welfare, Mrs Patience Okorie, expressed worry over reports that some wives are abandoned by their husbands following the condition.
She urged the society to rise against primordial attitudes of insensitive spouses who abandoned their needy wives.
“The attitude is callous and primitive because fistula is like any health challenge and women in such condition need supports from family members and their husbands.
“I charge the repaired fistula patients to keep strictly to medical advice by the medical team to increase your joy and reduce reoccurrence.
“I will continue to champion the repair of fistula and project the state as a relief destination for VVF. I will also provide relief for women and girls through different platforms,” She assured.
She further commended the medical director for involving experts on parts of maternal and child health.
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