A medical expert has warned that delayed access to emergency obstetric care is a significant factor contributing to recurring obstetric fistula cases among women in Nigeria.
Dr. Abubakar Said Kanya, Director of Family Health at the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, made this revelation during an interview with journalists to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, observed on Friday.
According to Dr. Kanya, obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, causing uncontrollable leakage of urine or feces.
"A woman living with fistula faces severe physical and psychological consequences. She is often unable to control the leakage of urine or feces, suffers from chronic infections and persistent pain," he explained.
The health official disclosed that over 50% of women suffering from obstetric fistula are abandoned by their husbands, compounding their trauma with social isolation, depression, and anxiety due to limited community understanding and stigmatization.
Causes and Risk Factors
While most cases result from obstructed labour, Dr. Kanya highlighted other causes including cancer-related treatments, surgical injuries during cesarean sections or gynecological procedures, coital trauma, sexual violence, and infections such as lymphogranuloma venereum.
Risk factors identified include cephalopelvic disproportion due to malnutrition, fetal malposition, large fetal size, and harmful traditional practices like female genital mutilation (FGM).
Prevention Strategies
"The most effective strategy to prevent obstetric fistula is ensuring access to safe and timely emergency obstetric care," Dr. Kanya emphasized, adding that family planning is crucial in preventing recurrence after surgical repair.
He further advocated for primary prevention through adolescent and maternal nutrition, education, and women's empowerment.
Jigawa State's Intervention
Dr. Kanya revealed that the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, has revitalized the Safe Motherhood Initiative to combat obstetric fistula.
Since 2008, the state government has partnered with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) to offer interventions at Jahun General Hospital. These include emergency obstetric and newborn care, vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) surgeries, and rehabilitation services.
The hospital performs an average of 300 VVF surgeries annually, demonstrating the scale of the problem and the ongoing efforts to address it in the region.
