Fistula: Federal Gov’t, ECOWAS Begin Pre-Implementation Needs Assessment

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Gender Development Centre (EGDC), has begun a pre-commencement and pre-implementation needs assessment, starting from Katsina State today. The evaluation aims to create awareness and provide medical and financial support for obstetric fistula patients in Nigeria.

To ensure adequate implementation of this project, the Federal Ministry of Women’s Affairs decided to conduct a pre-commencement/need assessment visit in preparation for the project flag-off/sensitisation and awareness creation in the State.

The Minister, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, noted, however, that ensuring the general health and well-being of all, especially women and girls, is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Women and Health.

Through the Permanent Secretary, Dr Maryam Keshinro, the Minister thanked the ECOWAS EGDC for its support and other active development partners in the fight against fistula.

A statement from the Permanent Secretary outlined that the programme intends to rehabilitate at least 60 VVF patients for the care of Obstetric Fistula (OF) patients in the Republic of Nigeria, capacity building for at least 30 health workers/Surgeons working on Fistula in the Republic of Nigeria; fistula surgery to at least sixty (60) women and girls identified as victims of Fistula and social economic reintegration of at least 50% of these women treated for the fistula surgery with subsidies and technical support to develop income-generating activities.

Other focus of the three-day workshop ongoing in Katsina State includes information and awareness raising on the causes and consequences of the disease and advocacy for their integration into national health development programs in the Republic of Nigeria through the adoption of appropriate legal mechanisms;

“Monitoring-Evaluation of project implementation in the Republic of Nigeria, and ensuring adequate implementation of this project, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs decided to first and foremost carry out a pre-commencement/need assessment visit in preparation to the project flag-off/sensitisation and awareness creation in the State.  The Focal person for the project, Mr Ilyasu Omar Zubair, also commended ECOWAS and the federal government for the collaboration.