NAN-HG-1
Surgery
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Dutse, July 26, 2017 (NAN) Médecins Sans Frontières, an international medical humanitarian organisation has said that it performed surgery on 296 victims of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in Jigawa state in 2016.
Mr Ed Brumit the Project Coordinator of the organisation, made this known while speaking at the graduation of victims in Dutse.
Brumit said that the surgeries were performed at Jahun VVF centre in Jahun local government area of the state.
“As part of our activities in Jigawa, we are working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Jahun General Hospital, operating the only fistula repair programme in the state.
“In 2016, new admissions in the VVF centre were 440 women and 296 surgeries were performed.
“Two hundred and forty one patients were discharged from the programme, with a 70 per cent continence rate for first procedure patients and 76 per cent closure rate.
The coordinator added the organisation’s programmes also included physiotherapy and psychological counselling sessions.
“Once patients had been dry (not leaking) for six months, they are given a final discharge from our service and most of them then go to the Jahun VVF hostel to prepare them for their renewed life as productive citizens.”
According to him, the purpose of the graduation is to celebrate the return to normal life for the victims.
He noted that it was also to raise awareness on the fistula problem in the community.
Brumit stressed that awareness, antenatal care and timely access to proper maternal care could checkmate the problem.
He commended the patients for taking advantage of the programme, saying that it was the most important step toward healing them.
“I would also like to acknowledge the work of the medical team and the hostel staff for their respective roles in making these women complete again.
“And finally, I thank the community for listening to our messages concerning the fistula problem and working to avoid the problem.
“Ladies, we are proud of you. You were not beaten down by the problem you suffered.
“We are happy that you put your trust in our programmes to make you whole women again.
“We were blessed with your presence in our facilities for several weeks. Thank you ladies for the lesson of your lives you teach us every day.
“Now, we release you back to society as women, wives and mothers that you were before your trauma,” Brumi told to the victims.
MSF was created in 1971 as an international, private, non-profit and non-governmental humanitarian organisation. (NAN)
MNB/DS/NKO
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