Fistila Patients To Enjoy Free Treatment

Women suffering from obstetric fistula in Anambra State are to be treated free-of-charge by a team of experts from the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki.

The medical team is expected to carry out the free services at the General Hospital, Amaku, near Awka. Leader of delegation and Medical Director of the centre, Dr Sunday Adeoye, said in Awka on Wednesday that no fewer than one million Nigerian women suffered from obstetric fistula annually.

Adeoye explained that the centre was established by the wife of Ebonyi Governor, Mrs Josephine Elechi, to provide care for women before the Federal Government took over the facility in 2011.

According to him, part of the mandate include free treatment of women with obstetric fistula, training of medical and para-medical personnel, rehabilitation of the women, research into the condition and prevention.

“We have realised that moving women from their states to Abakaliki is often challenging that is why we have decided to take the services to the people,” he said.

He commended the Anambra State Government for facilitating the programme, assuring that the team would train doctors and nurses, who were interested in providing care for patients on the programme.

Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra, who welcomed the team, said that the critical component of development remained the education and health sector.

Obi reiterated that the state government was working hard to achieve the MDGs before 2015, noting that “if we get education and health right, other things will be right’’.

He used the occasion to inaugurate the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) as part of strategies to control malaria transmission in the state.

“Research has shown that IRS at 85 per cent coverage of targeted risk population and targeted structures remain the most effective intervention that rapidly reduces malaria transmission,’’ he said.

He appealed to community leaders to prevail on their subordinates to allow the spraying agents access into their homes, to help reduce the burden of malaria.

In another development, the governor laid the foundation for the construction of a N200 million medical student hostel for medical students of Anambra State University.

Obi promised that the hostel would be completed as stipulated and would form part of commitment of his government to achieve the health goals of the MDGs.

“Health care service is improving in the state; immunisation has increased from 30 per cent to 85 per cent. We are polio free.

“We are doing everything possible to ensure that people remain healthy,” the governor said.