2 September 2014 , By Ruby Leo and
Judd Leonard Okafor, Source: Daily
Trust

About 150,000 women suffering from
obstetrics fistula are awaiting surgical
operations, the Engender Health, a
nongovern-mental organization, has
disclosed.
The country programme manager,
Fistula Care Plus project, Dr Habib
Sadauki disclosed this yesterday in
Abuja during the launch of the project.
Fistula is the occurrence of an abnormal
hole between the bladder or rectum and
the vagina characterized by continuous
and uncontrollable leakage of urine and/
or faeces following childbirth.

"We are at a critical time in Nigeria
where we can make even greater impact
so that more women living with fistula
can be treated. We have an estimated
number of 150,000 cases of fistula in the
country still waiting to be repaired and
on annual basis, we see about 12,000
new cases in the country.
"We also want to encourage mothers to
prepare for their birth and deliver in
health facilities where a professional
will take their delivery and they will not
go into obstruction, that way you can
prevent fistula from happening. What
we are doing is a collaboration and
minimal support from USAID", he said.
Earlier, the director of the Family
Health Department, Federal Ministry of
Health, Wapada Balami, said through
renewed efforts by government and
partners to address the reproductive
and maternal health, the incidence of
fistula had reduced.