The Federal Ministry of Health, in partnership with EngenderHealth, implementing partner of USAID Fistula Care Plus Project, and Osun State Government, recently had a fistula intervention repair programme at Wesley Guild Hospital Unit, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State. 

The surgical repairs, the first of its kind in Osun State, had about 33 women attended to during a weeklong fistula programme with the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, a member of the surgical team.

Speaking at the ceremony, Adewole announced plans to open more fistula centres in the country, with Wesley Guild hospital as one of the centres of excellence for fistula repairs in the country.

“We will make Wesley Guild, a Federal Medical Centre, a centre of excellence for fistula intervention, to show equity in distribution of healthcare in the country. We will make fistula repairs one of our cardinal issues this year. Fistula is an indicator of poverty, which is why we intend to clear this backlog cases,” he said.

Worried about the large number of women living with fistula, the health minister said the ministry intends to clear the large number of backlog fistula cases in Nigeria.
In his speech, Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, represented by the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Chief Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, thanked the promoters of the USAID Fistula Care Plus Project.