Pulse.ng : NGO partners Fistula Foundation to deliver life-changing surgeries in Nigeria

By Sani Idris

An NGO, Bashir Foundation for Fistula and Women’s Health (BFFWH), says it will provide critical medical interventions for women living with obstetric fistula across Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Technology, Ibukun Ogundare, on Friday in Kaduna.

BFFWH said that the initiative would be funded in collaboration with Fistula Foundation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that obstetric fistula is a childbirth injury caused by prolonged and obstructed labour which often leads to social isolation and emotional trauma for affected women.

Ogundare said that BFFWH offered comprehensive care, including surgical repairs, rehabilitation programmes, community mobilisation, awareness campaigns, training healthcare workers, and broader women’s health programmes.

He said that the project was scheduled to run from Oct. 1, 2024 to Sept. 30, 2025, targeting 140 fistula repair surgeries through routine care and dedicated surgical camps in Abuja, Kaduna, and Zamfara states.

The director listed the locations to include: Gwarinpa General Hospital, Life Camp in Abuja, Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna and Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Centre in Gusau, Zamfara.

He said that the foundation was dedicated to improving the reproductive health and well-being of women, with the primary focus on the treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of obstetric fistula patients.

Ogundate said that since inception, BFFWH had reached out to hundreds of women with free fistula surgeries and had successfully empowered survivors to rebuild their lives.

He further stated that through partnerships with government agencies, international donors and community stakeholders, the foundation remained committed to promoting maternal health and eliminating fistula in Nigeria.

According to him, the collaboration with Fistula Foundation will enable BFFWH to deliver 140 surgeries across three strategic locations.

Ogundare noted that the surgeries were part of the foundation’s ongoing efforts to improve maternal healthcare and provide dignified care to women suffering from obstetric fistula.

He said that the project combined routine services with surgical camps to ensure that women in underserved communities received the help they needed.

Beyond surgery, Ogundare said that the project would also provide post-surgery support, such as psychological counseling and skills training, to help patients reintegrate into the society.

“Through these efforts, BFFWH aims to transform lives and foster economic independence among fistula survivors. It believes that eliminating fistula requires collective action.

“The foundation invites government agencies, healthcare providers, and community leaders to join hands in ensuring that no woman is left behind,” he said. (NAN)