The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole says the federal government will establish five additional fistula repair centres to clear the backlog of over 150, 000 fistula cases in the country.
The minister stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a high level fistula awareness seminar organised by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) with support from other partners.
Adewole said there are about four federal fistula centres and government would create additional five centres.
Prof. Isaac Adewole
He added that of the five new centres to be established, one of them would be a regional training centre while the remaining four centres would join the league of centres.
The minister restated government’s commitments to provide resources for the project starting from 2018, adding that “ we will add more money in 2019 so that we have more resources to cater.’’
According to him, there are between 150,000 and 200, 000 cases of obstetric fistula in Nigeria with additional 12, 000 cases annually.
The minister noted that in spite of the huge and frightening figures, Nigeria was able to address less than 4, 000 cases annually.
“We need to increase the number of people that are repairing fistula, every tertiary healthcare can be able to repair fistula and the federal government had waived fees for fistula repairs.
“If we want end fistula in our generation we must repair more than 20, 000 cases every year.
“We have 56 tertiary health facilities; all the 56 facilities must do to at least one fistula repair every day that is the only way we can end it,” the minister said.
He also renewed the commitment of government to stop new fistula cases from occurring, through educating the families and societies.
The minister of state, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed said there was an opportunity to improve maternal and neonatal indices in Nigeria.
“We do have an opportunity to improve because there is new UN spot light initiative which has just been approved and Nigeria is one of the West African country that is a beneficiary.
“The UN spot light initiative is meant to address harmful and negative traditional practices that affects women adding the Federal Ministry of Health is one of the lead ministry.
“Other benefitting ministries are the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development; Agriculture, and Budget and National Planning,’’ she said.
According to her, UN has put some resources at the table for the programme.
“Through the initiative, we would be able to arrange towards improving the plan to ensure that every pregnant woman would be able to access quality health care services at PHC level,’’ she said.
