|
Health
Interactive With Dr Aminu Magashi Kadunas’ Meeting of VV Expert Committee From
21st to The
draft document which covers a period from 2005 to 2010 is expected to be
approved by the FMOH more particularly Professor Eyitayo Lambo who is
eager to have the draft and to
present same to the
federal executive council for
approval which will be followed up by massive publication and official
lunching to stakeholders. All in all, the most important challenge to
stakeholders is of course not the meeting and the
series of formalization but ‘implementation and the where withal
to raise funding and resources towards achieving such goal. As
we all know that Professor Lambo’s health ministry under his tutelage
has a lot of new initiatives, from Health Sector Reforms, restructuring
of primary health care, trying to make sure National Health
Insurance Schemes works which for now appears sluggish and inactive
and now the VVF draft policy document and its take off. I hope the
minister is not taking more than he can chew. With
regard to VVF as a health, social and developmental problem, the
commonest cause of it in Nigeria is obstructed labor and that accounts
for between 80 to 95 % of the cases seen, the fistula result from
obstructed labor when particularly young women with prolonged labor due
to cephalo-pelvic disproportion (small pelvis in relation to the head of
the fetus) cannot get timely caesarian section to relieve the
obstruction. About 5 % of VVF cases seen in some part of the country are
due to Gishiri cut ( an incision made at the anterior vaginal wall by
either traditional barber or birth attendant with the hope of relieving
obstruction during labor and as a result of that damages the vagina and
the bladder to cause an abnormal connection, hence the fistula.) This
is the typical scenario bedeviling this nation and no one seems to care
to reverse the process, this is seen both at federal, states and LGAs
level. Projects that mean less to development are the ones receiving
utmost attention and priority. Looking at the international aids coming
to Instead
of the bulk of the resources to be channeled towards service delivery
and strengthening infrastructure and
capacity building and training of health and social personnel,
regrettably, the bulk goes to condom promotion, social marketing
and demonstration of its usage in the name of adolescent
reproductive health project and if it is not condom brouhaha , then
certainly it is an issue of exorbitantly
massive production of T -shirts, posters , leaflets and hand
bills, all in support of safe mother hood and related matters. Although
this discourse is not about the content of the draft, but theoretically,
its overall goal, objectives and strategies will go along way in
eradicating VVF and other complicated cases attributed to pregnancy.
What is expected of development partners particularly UNFPA which
provided funding for that meeting, Pathfinder International and Center
For Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) which sent able
representation to the meeting and other civil societies and governmental
officials is to work together to see the realization of the dream to
contribute to the promotion of quality life of women through the
elimination of obstetric fistula in Nigeria. Lastly our prayer and
wishes before we departed from that meeting is that, May
our effort not go in vain. Dr
Magashi Is The Executive Director Of Community Health and Research
Initiative, Kano, Nigeria and can be reached at healthinteractive@hotmail.com |