BY ANKELI EMMANUEL,Sokoto
The First Lady of Sokoto State, Hajiya (Dr) Mariya Tambuwal, has distributed dignity kits to no fewer than 100 Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) survivors at the Mariam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, pupolarly known as VVF Center Sokoto.
The kits donated by United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) were given to the survivors as part of the ceremony marking the 2021 International Day to End Fistula.
The ceremomy with its theme: ”Women’s Right are Human Rights! End Fistula now”, was organised by UNFPA in collaboration with Mariya Tambuwal Development Intitaitve (MTDI).
Hajiya Tambuwal appealed to all stakeholders to play their parts in supporting VVF patients and survivors alike.
She noted that her foundarion, the MTDI collaborated with UNFPA Nigeria with funding from the Canadian Government to support the Sokoto State Government towards prevention of obstetric fistula via divserse empowerment programmes.
Giving a run down of VVF cure efforts made so far in Sokoto between 2020 and 2021, Mrs. Tambuwal said free surgery were done for over 260 fistula patients, while additional 180 VVF survivors were empowered with skill acquisition and 120 reintegrated into their communities.
”Also 365 repaired fistula survivors had free caesarian section to prevent recurrence and maintained their motherhood and dignity in the society since 2016 to date”.
”We must collectively work towards ending obstetric fistula as a critical step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and realizing the promise of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action”.
”Along with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development which both plans are oriented to fight for women’s rights, including the sexual and reproductive health”.
”Women’s rights are human rights, yet almost everywhere around the world, women and girls are still denied them, often because of their gender”.
” It is a violation of human rights as reflected by broader health inequities and healthcare system constraints, as well as wider challenges facing women and girls, such as poverty, gender and socioeconomic inequality”.
”Lack of schooling, child marriage and early childbearing all of which impede the well-being of and opportunities for women and girls”.
”To end fistula, we must strengthen the health system, eliminate gender-based social and economic inequities; promote girl child education and foster community participation in finding solutions, including through the active involvement of men as well as seeking the help of fistula survivors as advocates”, she said.
While noting that fistula is preventable when women and girls are given comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, Hagiya Tambuwal thanked UNFPA, Fistula Foundation, and other supporting organisations for their consistent assistance to vulnerable fistula patients.
On her part, Mrs Gloria Enueze, the UNFPA Programme Officer in Sokoto, decried that the advent of COVID-19 pandemic has not only exposed pre-existing inequalities, but also exposed the vulnerabilities in social and economic systems.
Mrs Gloria also assured of UNFPA continues commitment in supporting VVF and other areas towards giving people better lives in the county.
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