Kwara commences free VVF surgery in Ilorin, today

By Mumini AbdulKareem
Fistula surgeons will be carrying out free repairs on patients suffering from Vesico Vaginal fistula (VVF) in Ilorin the Kwara State capital from today (Monday) to the 13th of this month.
The programme, which will take place daily, will hold at the Sobi Specialist Hospital, Alagbado in Ilorin.
A Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with the Sobi Specialist Hospital, Dr. Bolanle Shukura Okesina dropped this hint while fielding questions on a Radio Kwara programme “Health Half Hour”.
Okesina urged those that have such conditions to avail themselves of the opportunity, adding that the hospital had already started admitting patients for the surgery after they had been screened
Presently, Okesina said five patients are on admission while 30 patients are expected to partake in the surgery from various states of the country including Lagos, Osun and Oyo.
He said the surgery would still continue after the specialists have left Ilorin.
The gynaecologist said the programme, which is in partnership with the state and federal government as well as some international societies, is aimed at responding to critical needs of the people suffering from this disease and deliver them on the mandate of promoting health with focus on access, affordability and demand.
The health expert described VVF as an abnormal opening between the urinary system and the vagina, usually after a prolonged labour not attended by skilled personnel.
She said every year, Nigeria record about 20,000 cases of women having VVF and to repair the condition, it takes about five thousand women per year.
“This simply means it would take almost 100 years to repair all the women that have this condition.
“In some cases it entails repairing the connection between the bladder and the vagina or between the rectum and the vagina as the case may be to enable such woman live a normal life again”, she added.