A medical expert and Director of Family Health at the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, Dr. Abubakar Said Kanya, has cautioned that delayed access to emergency obstetric care is a major cause of recurring obstetric fistula among women.
Kanya made this known during an interview with journalists to commemorate the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, observed on Friday.
He explained that a fistula is an abnormal opening between two parts of the body, while an obstetric fistula specifically refers to a hole between the birth canal and the bladder and/or rectum.
“A woman living with fistula faces severe physical and psychological consequences.
“She is often unable to control the leakage of urine or feces, suffers from chronic infections and persistent pain.
“Due to limited community understanding, such women are frequently stigmatized, leading to isolation, depression, and anxiety,”;; he said.
Kanya disclosed that over 50% of women suffering from obstetric fistula are abandoned by their husbands.
He also highlighted the psychological trauma, fear of infertility, stigmatization, and economic hardship as additional burdens on affected women.
He noted that while most cases result from obstructed labour, other causes include cancer-related treatments, surgical injuries during cesarean sections or gynecological procedures, coital trauma, sexual violence, and infections such as lymphogranuloma venereum.
Kanya emphasized that early warning signs—such as prolonged or obstructed labor—must be promptly addressed.
Risk factors include cephalopelvic disproportion due to malnutrition, fetal malposition, large fetal size, and harmful traditional practices like female genital mutilation (FGM).
“The most effective strategy to prevent obstetric fistula is ensuring access to safe and timely emergency obstetric care,”;; he said, adding that family planning is crucial in preventing recurrence after surgical repair.
He further advocated for primary prevention through adolescent and maternal nutrition, education, and women’s empowerment.
Kanya also disclosed that the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, has revitalized the Safe Motherhood Initiative to combat obstetric fistula.
He highlighted that since 2008, the state government, in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), has been offering interventions at Jahun General Hospital.
These include emergency obstetric and newborn care, vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) surgeries, and rehabilitation services. The hospital performs an average of 300 VVF surgeries annually
