CHR trains Nigerian health reporters on Fistula reporting

The Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) under the Strengthening Accountability for Maternal health in Nigeria (SAMiN) programme has trained a select group of Nigerian health reporters on fistula.

The 2-day training which took place in Kano between September 8 and 9 was aimed at achieving collaboration with the media in the effort to create awareness about Fistula including preventing occurrence of new cases and reducing the stigma faced by women suffering from the ailment.

Fistula is the occurrence of abnormal hole between the bladder or rectum and the vagina characterised by continuous and uncontrollable leakage of urine or faeces usually following childbirth.

While speaking on the causes of Fistula at the training, Dr Habib Sadauki, the vice president of the Society of Gynecologists and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) said the major cause of Fistula was prolonged and obstructed labour.

“The major cause and the one we think we should pay attention to is prolonged labor, if we can stop obstructed labor  we can [end fistula]; many countries have done that. There is no reason in this day and age that somebody should go through obstructed labor,” Dr Sadauki said.

“If you look at this country, we have facilities around the country where people can access care but for financial, cultural reasons they don’t and they remain in labour for a longtime until the Fistula develops.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than 2 million women are living with Fistula, globally. The National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) of 2008 puts the prevalence of fistula in Nigeria at 150,000 with about 12000 new cases every year.