Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Nigeria (SBHAN) has lamented persistent healthcare gaps in the management of spinal bifida and hydrocephalus, calling for the establishment of an institutional framework within federal and state health systems to address the conditions.

The National President of SBHAN, Hassan Funmilayo, made the call yesterday during a courtesy visit to The Guardian’s head office in Lagos, where he faulted the inadequate response from health authorities to congenital defects.

Funmilayo said the association, which came into existence in 2020 as a disability cluster, was formed primarily to drive advocacy and awareness, noting that very little is known about the conditions in Nigeria.

He explained that SBHAN is affiliated with the International Disability Alliance and its global federation, the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus.

According to him, spinal bifida is a congenital malformation of the spine and spinal cord, often described medically as a neural tube defect that occurs within the first month of pregnancy, sometimes before a woman is aware she is pregnant.

Hydrocephalus, he added, involves the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and is frequently associated with spinal bifida.

Citing medical research, he stated that between 70 and 75 per cent of children born with severe spinal bifida were likely to develop hydrocephalus, which might require surgical procedures, such as the insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt to drain excess fluid from the brain.

He stressed that beyond surgery at birth, affected persons require lifelong multidisciplinary care involving neurosurgeons, urologists, nephrologists and, in some cases, plastic surgeons.

He noted that continence care remains a major challenge, as nerve damage may result in urinary and faecal incontinence, requiring structured management such as Clean Intermittent Catheterisation (CIC).

The association advocated the creation of CIC centres at local government healthcare facilities and the training of medical professionals to support long-term management of the conditions.