Niger Governor’s Wife Conducts Free VVF Surgery On 20 Women.

Dr. Amina Sani Bello

The wife of the Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Sani Bello, has conducted a free surgical camp for 20 women with Vesico Vaginal Fistula in the state.
The women were operated on free by the governor’s wife and VVF surgeons who were drawn from Kastina and Kano States.

Speaking to newsmen at the General Hospital, Kontagora, on Friday, Dr. Bello said the aim was to offer treatment to the women who had this condition and had no money to treat them surgically, adding that curing them from this ailment will give them a better life.
According to her: “VVF is a terrible condition, which usually affects women in the poor areas.

“And because they are poor, it is difficult to get treatment.

“What we have done in collaboration with Sani Bello Foundation and Niger State Government is to call Fistula surgeons who are experts in treating the diseases surgically so that those affected can have the surgery free and be integrated back into the society.
“This camp pulled 20 women with the condition from across Niger State.

“It is aimed at improving the maternal health of women in the state.”

Bello further said she intends to open a VVF Centre in Niger State to address the backlog of women with VVF who have not been treated.

She said: “Niger State have a pool of patients with VVF that have not been treated.
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“So we are hoping of having a VVF Centre in the state but before the centre is up and running, we intend to conduct free surgical camps in the three senatorial zones in the state.”

Bello however debunked myths that VVF is caused by only teenage pregnancy and early motherhood, saying that all those that registered for the camp were above 30 years.

She said: “This condition is not just in a situation where it is teenage pregnancy.
“It happens in a situation of the kind of healthcare that the expecting mother gets.”

The Governor’s wife then called on the government to improve the healthcare system to enable the women get access to ante-natal care and skilled birth attendants.

She said: “We are trying to see how the government will ensure that our healthcare centres are able to provide 24 hours care in each ward.

“This will go a long way in assuring that women who are pregnant will have skilled birth attendants to attend to them.”

One of the Surgeons, Dr. Kabiru Abubakar, called on the government to employ more skilled doctors who can perform Ceaseran operations and improve infrastructures.

Abubakar said: “The real cause of this condition is having obstructed labor.

“If there is a functional obstetric unit and skilled doctors who have all the materials needed for surgery, this problem will be reduced.”