By DADA AYOKHAI
Edo State Government is set to partner with the National Obstetric Fistula Centre (NOFIC) to enhance healthcare and support for women affected by obstetric fistula and other childbirth-related conditions.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Eugenia Abdallah, made the commitment during a strategic engagement with the Management of the Centre, which visited her office in Benin City.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Eugenia Abdallah, emphasized the need for collaboration to expand access to free medical services and improve prevention, rehabilitation, and reintegration outcomes for vulnerable women.
Mrs. Abdallah noted that many women in Edo State suffer in silence with preventable conditions like obstetric fistula and uterine prolapse due to stigma, poverty, and limited access to healthcare. The partnership aims to address these issues and provide support to affected women
She praised the Federal Government’s efforts in providing free obstetric fistula treatment and appreciated Governor Monday Okpebholo’s support for the Fistula Centre in Edo State. She emphasized the crucial role women play in society and the government’s commitment to their welfare, health, and dignity
She highlighted the passion of the Coordinator of the Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, for women and other vulnerable groups, assuring that collaborative efforts would be strengthened to deliver targeted, sustainable supports .
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Benin City, Prof. Ileogben Sunday-Adeoye, provided an overview of obstetric fistula, outlining its causes, impact, and the burden it places on affected women and communities. He explained that the condition is largely caused by prolonged and obstructed labour, often resulting from limited access to timely and quality maternal healthcare.
Prof. Sunday-Adeoye added that while obstetric fistula is commonly associated with poverty and weak health systems, it can affect women across all social and economic backgrounds. He highlighted the Centre’s mandate, which included the provision of free, high-quality fistula repair surgeries, preventive interventions to reduce new cases, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors, and research aimed at improving clinical outcomes and informing policy decisions.
