NIGERIA: UNFPA Donates Mattresses and TV to Aid in Fistula Fight
The Nigerian Television Authority and Tribune News on 20 December reported on the visit by UNFPA regional advisor Mr. Laurent Osagba and Mr. Audu Alayande to Maryam Abatcha Hospital in Sokoto to deliver over 100 mattresses and a 29 inch flat screen television set to the hospital's chief medical director.
In her welcome address the Director for Child Development, who is also UNFPA’s project coordinator Zubaida Abubakar, expressed the gratitude of her Ministry for all the contributions by UNFPA to the centre adding that this shows strong support for the women of Sokoto and most especially the fistula women.
The Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs Sokoto, Mrs. Nuhu Abubakar thanked UNFPA for coming to their aid, saying UNFPA is a great family. The Ministry of Women Affairs provide feeding and also give the women skills acquisitions after they are repaired for the period of six months before the women were integrated back to their communities.
Representing UNFPA, Mr. Laurent Osogba during the handing over ceremony expresses UNFPA's willingness to support the partnership in fighting for the promotion of quality health care for the women, and that the state should also focus on prevention of VVF.
In a similar development UNFPA is also supporting Borno state in VVF repairs and the hospital has repaired 34 patients as of today. With a bed capacity space of 15 and with more than 100 women on the waiting list, the Borno hospital has set a target of repairing 50 women before the end of December 2011.