UNFPA, Bauchi govt empower 70 obstetric fistula survivors

70 Obstetric Fistula survivors in Bauchi State have been trained on various skills and equipment were donated to the beneficiaries through a partnership between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Bauchi State government.

The disclosure was made by the UNFPA Media and Communication Specialist, Kori Abba Habib on Friday explaining that the 70 obstetric fistula survivors who had received vocational and trade skills training were given sets of kits including sewing machines, grinding machines and hair saloon equipments.

According to him, the gesture was aimed at empowering the survivors economically, reducing their hardship and restoring their dignity.

Kori Abba Habib said that, “The repairs of these women and girls was coordinated by the Fistula Foundation an implementing partner of United Nations Population Fund in collaboration with the state Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development.”

The Communion Specialist noted that the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as the leader of the global campaign to end fistula launched in 2003, provide strategic vision, technical guidance and support, medical supplies, training and capacity building, as well as funds for obstetric fistula prevention, treatment, and social reintegration and advocacy programmes.

He added that the 2018 National Demographic Health Survey report for Bauchi state indicated that the maternal mortality is estimated at 594 per 100,000 live births, more than 57% of pregnant women never attended antenatal care while 70 per cent of the women delivered at home and less than 23% had skilled birth attendance; exposing them to risk of maternal death as well as complications including fistula.

He also stated that, “In addition, Bauchi state has some of the poorest girl child education indices – only 5.9% of girls completed secondary school, while 64% of girls enter a marital union before the age of 18 years” .

“UNFPA’s approach to increasing access to quality fistula care in Bauchi state involves the provision of essential medical equipment, fistula repair kits, furniture and consumables to the National Obstetric Fistula Treatment Centre in Ningi and the General Hospital in Gamawa”, Kori Abba further stated.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of Fistula Foundation, an implementing partner with UNFPA, Musa Isa said that they have trained victims of the disease in 16 local governments of Bauchi State.

In her remarks, the First Lady of Bauchi State, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed who hosted the event cautioned the general public against stigmatization of the patients emphasizing that they need to be be shown love and concern.

She urged the beneficiaries of the empowerment programs to make good use of it by practising the skills they learned so that they could help themselves.

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