The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has revealed that more than 2 million women worldwide are living with fistula, with Nigeria accounting for about 400,000 cases
By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has revealed that more than 2 million women worldwide are living with fistula, with Nigeria accounting for about 400,000 cases.
Dr Saka Agboola, Head of the Standards and Quality Assurance Unit at NHIA, disclosed this on Monday in Ilorin during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Fistula, often obstetric fistula, is an abnormal opening between the vagina and the bladder (vesicovaginal fistula) or the rectum (rectovaginal fistula).
It typically results from prolonged, obstructed labour, particularly in settings where women lack access to timely, skilled medical care.
Agboola said developing countries beared the highest burden of the condition, with more than 1 million cases.
He noted that Nigeria represented about 7.5 per cent of the global total, calling it a “national burden that may take decades to fully address.”
He highlighted the NHIA Fistula-Free Programme (FFP) as a key Federal Government initiative designed to provide free surgeries, rehabilitation, and health insurance coverage for affected women.
“The government recognised the limited number of fistula centres and has now increased them to 18 nationwide.
“So far, more than 1,600 cases have been successfully treated under this initiative,” Agboola said.
He further stated that Nigeria was committed to improving women’s health outcomes, particularly through efforts to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
Agboola also spoke about the NHIA Maternal Initiative, which aimed to eliminate common barriers women face during childbirth, such as delays in seeking care, recognising danger signs, and accessing medical attention.
According to him, the programme not only covers the cost of surgery but also takes care of patients’ feeding, transportation, and provides stipends to ease recovery and reintegration. (NAN)