Army Chief donates VVF ward to Sokoto hospital

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Faruk Yahaya has donated a fully equipped Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patient ward to the people of Goronyo local government in Goronyo general hospital in Sokoto State.

The hospital ward was constructed under the Chief of Army Staff, Army-Civil relationship in the country.

Inaugurating the ward at the general hospital, the National President of Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA), Hajia Salamatu Yahaya, said the project was conceived to support VVF victims and argument government as well as donors efforts toward enhancing VVF treatment and services.

She expressed optimism that the ward would assist in ensuring smooth patients treatment, care and workers services adding that Goronyo hospital was selected in view of high concentration of VVF patients from Nigeria and neighboring countries.

”COAS had approved the construction of VVF ward in the last eight months and completed on Jan. 30, this year. It was equipped with all the necessary facilitaties for VVF treatment and a hospital ward, ” Yahaya said.

According to her, the association is concerned with plights of women suffering from VVF, and in recognition of distinct efforts of Sokoto treatment centre, NAOWA deems it fit to support them as being conducted in other places.

The NAOWA President commended COAS for the foresight to consider VVF patients for their vulnerability in the society along with women empowerment at large in his community support programmes.

She urged fistula patients to come forward to access the services as VVF is curable and experts are available to treat at all times as well as access the supports given to VVF victims in the country.

In her remark, the wife of General Officer Commanding (GOC) and state Chairperson of NAOWA, Mrs Florence Makut, said the newly constructed fistula ward would help to restore dignity of women in society.

She lauded the leadership of NAOWA National President led by Salamatu Yahaya on thier efforts to address challenges faced by women and called on hospital management to ensure proper use of the facility.

In a related development, NAOWA President launched the distribution of working tools to 78 trained women under NAOWA empowerment support programme in Giginya barracks Sokoto.

The benefiting women were trained at Eagle Net Vocational Training Center located at 8 Division of Nigeria Army Sokoto.

Yahaya said the center was commissioned in Oct. 2019, with students on tailoring, knitting, soap making, saloon services.

She said the effort was to make soldiers wives and others more productive through engagement on viable business ventures and reitriated NAOWA commitment to expand the services and supports.

” 78 trained women will get starter packs and N5,000 each to commence business.

” I urged you beneficiaries to make good use of business instruments to support your respective families. ” Yahaya said.

Earlier, Mrs Florence Makut, the wive of 8 Division GOC and state NAOWA Chairperson said the center introduced Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Music, Leather works and Catering services classes.

She further announced the change of center’s name from Eagle Net to NAOWA training center in order to have more corporate attractions and services.