No fewer than 18 women and girls suffering from different types of obstetric fistula have received free surgical treatment at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, through a collaborative health intervention programme.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Oluseyi Bamidele Folagbade, disclosed this in an interview, describing the intervention as a life-changing opportunity for women who had endured the condition for several years.
Obstetric fistula, including Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF), is a medical condition in which an abnormal opening develops between the bladder and the vagina or between the rectum and the vagina. It is commonly caused by prolonged obstructed labour, complications from unsafe Caesarean sections, or certain congenital defects.
The free fistula repair exercise was organised by Sustainable Family Healthcare Foundation and Fistula Foundation in collaboration with the Kogi State Ministry of Health.
Dr Folagbade noted that the programme was a timely intervention, particularly for indigent women who could not afford the cost of treatment, and assured residents of Kogi State and neighbouring states that the initiative would continue as part of efforts to improve access to quality healthcare.
He also commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for creating an enabling environment that allows development partners and healthcare workers to deliver quality medical services to the people.
Also speaking, the State Focal Person of the Sustainable Family Healthcare Foundation and Fistula Foundation, Comrade Francis Eneojo Obaje, appreciated the Kogi State Government, the partnering organisations, and the surgical team led by Dr Idris Saad and Dr (Mrs) Halima Bello, as well as other doctors and nurses, for the successful conduct of the exercise.
Obaje advised women living with obstetric fistula to seek prompt medical attention at recognised health facilities instead of relying on traditional remedies.
Some beneficiaries of the programme, including Janet Alexander and Victoria Bunde, expressed gratitude to the sponsors for bringing the intervention to Kogi State and restoring their hope and dignity.
The second phase of the free obstetric fistula repair programme was conducted between June 15 and June 18, 2026, at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.
