A professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Jos, Jonathan Abina Karshima, has submitted that several Nigerian women are under siege, silently tormented by pelvic floor disorder.
He said with the increasing life expectancy of the over 12 million out-of-school children, larger numbers of non-literate and literate women would be presented with the problem in the future.
Karshima spoke on Tuesday evening at the 108th inaugural lecture titled, “Pelvic Floor Bug, the Silent Tormentor of Women. The Lax and Bulges, Holes and Leaks, seals and Pains” in Jos.
According to him, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) are common Pelvic Floor disorders which challenge even the gynaecologists.
He said: “Helping the woman break the silence through respectful communication with her family and the healthcare provider is essential for optimal understanding, informed consent and management.
“Pelvic floor bug is a real fixable tormentor, causing women not to think right. Rescuing her from the bug will cause her to think right.”
The inaugural lecturer stated that when a woman thinks right, the house thinks, and gets it right, same with the society.
He continued: “Maybe, the numerous challenges we are now facing in the country is because we neglected the women as they suffer under this bug. I call upon all of us to work toward fighting this silent tormentor of womanhood, the pelvic floor bug of lax and bulge, holes and leaks, seals and pain.”
The don prayed for a time when the society and the healthcare system would be so designed and supported through an organised multi-sectorial and multidisciplinary system that gives a chance for every woman to breathe, live and not bugged by remediable conditions.
He called on the community for strategic involvement and advocacy, stressing that women with PFD can be very secretive about their problems.
Karshima added: “The fistula patient often suffers stigmatisation and discrimination that leads to social outcasts. Empowering women, men and communities towards safe motherhood can greatly pay off.
“Advocating for free or subsidised maternity care, providing information and availability of treatment services like the one in Bingham University Teaching Hospital. Federal Government maintains a position that fistula treatment in all teaching and Federal Medical Centres are free but the dividends have not reached the women who truly need it.”
He advised that there is a need for advocacy at all levels of government and leadership on the problems of unsafe motherhood.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tauko Ishaya, in his remarks, welcomed the audience, explaining that the inaugural lectures were always organised by professors in their fields of specialisation.
