The Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital (HGSGH) Fistula Centre in Zaria has successfully repaired over 2,000 obstetric fistula cases since its establishment in 1999.
Chief Surgeon of the centre, Dr. Mohammed-Ado Zakari, disclosed this on Saturday during the 2026 commemoration of the International Day to End Fistula held at the hospital.
According to Zakari, the centre performs an average of 150 repairs annually, with a success rate of over 70 percent.
He said five doctors and several nurses have been trained at the centre under the mentorship of Dutch fistula surgeon, Dr. Kees Waaldijk.
The centre was established through the collaborative efforts of the Kaduna State Government, Rotary International, and Dr. Waaldijk to address the burden of obstetric fistula in northern Nigeria.
Zakari described obstetric fistula as an abnormal opening between the vagina and the bladder or rectum, caused mainly by prolonged obstructed labour, resulting in continuous leakage of urine or stool.
He noted that the condition remains a major public health and social problem, especially among rural women with poor access to quality maternal healthcare.
Globally, more than two million women are living with untreated obstetric fistula, while between 50,000 and 100,000 new cases occur annually. In Nigeria, between 100,000 and one million women may be living with untreated fistula.
Zakari identified early marriage, home deliveries, shortage of skilled birth attendants, poverty, and prolonged obstructed labour as major causes. He also expressed concern over increasing cases linked to medical quackery.
“We currently have patients who are victims of unqualified medical personnel undergoing fistula repairs at the centre,” he said.
The surgeon commended the Federal Government for interventions through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) initiatives.
The 2026 theme for the International Day to End Fistula is: “Her Health is a Right: Invest in Ending Fistula and Childbirth Injury”.
The centre held a special session for traditional and religious leaders, urging them to promote the state health insurance scheme and other government interventions to improve access to quality maternal care.
Dr. Hassan Adamu, Medical Director of the hospital, reiterated the hospital’s commitment to providing quality services to VVF patients and called for increased investment from governments, partners, and philanthropists to eliminate fistula and childbirth injuries.
Sambo Shehu-Idris, District Head of Zaria and Kewaye, commended the centre for the event and lamented the prevalence of quack medical centres, noting that traditional leaders often report them but receive insufficient support from relevant authorities.
