Some beneficiaries of free Vasicovaginal Fistula (VVF) surgery coordinated by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA Nigeria) have expressed joy and appreciated the kind gesture, saying it assisted them to start life afresh.
The beneficiaries expressed their joy and thanked the Fund in separate interviews in Yola on Sunday.
VVF is an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence.
The entity is among the most distressing complications of gynecologic and obstetric procedures.
Conditions that may cause VVF include the lack of good medical care, prolonged labour, and early marriage, among others.
However, the condition can be repaired through surgery and survivors can resume their normal lives.
One of the beneficiaries of the free VVF surgery, a 44-year-old mother of seven, said UNFPA Nigeria had greatly impacted her life positively.
She narrated that she got married at the age of 20, and gave birth to six children successfully, but the seventh child came with the problem.
She said it was during her seventh child delivery that she contracted VVF.
The 44-year-old mother said “as a result of the problem, my husband divorced me after one year; after series of insults and humiliation.
“Not long ago, I was informed about UNFPA free surgery and I registered and I was successfully operated on.
“Now I am healthy and doing my business. My former husband came back, begging me to remarry him but I refused.
“I don’t want any problems again; I just want to do my business, take care of myself and my children.”
Another beneficiary who said she is 38 years old also narrated that she got married at the age of 17 and contracted VVF at the age of 19.
The woman, who said she lived with the condition for about 18 years, said she had different surgeries in different hospitals before the UNFPA free surgery.
She added that her husband had to take a second wife because of her condition, saying that many people avoided her because of the odour oozing from her as she could not control urine, including the husband.
She, however, said that after the launch successful surgery, she is now in good relationship with her husband and running her business of selling food.
She advised women and girls living with the condition to seek medical attention, exercise patience and practice good hygiene and obey the rules of health personnel.
She said “I am a living witness that VVF can be cured and sufferers can go back to their normal lives. I want to encourage women to go to the hospital for proper medical care.”
