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From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Thursday, empowered 100 Visico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital in Kano State as part of its cooperate social responsibility.
The bank equally sponsored 50 additional patients to undergo surgery for Obstetric Fistula Repair at the hospital.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Director, Public Sector, of the bank, Abdullahi Ibrahim, regretted that Nigeria has the highest prevalence rate of VVF cases in the world,.
He estimated that there were between 400,000- 800,000 women suffering from ailment across the country.
“It is said that there are between 12,000 to 20,000 new cases occurring every year with 90 per cent of these remaining untreated” he added.
According to him, Northern Nigeria has the highest prevalence of VVF cases, accounting for about 75 per cent of these cases, stressing the need to rehabilitate and reintegrate these patients. He lamented that Obstetric Fistula patients suffer psychological, social and economic challenges , including stigma, discrimination, abandonment and neglect.
He however urged philanthropists, well to do individuals in the society, NGOs and corporate organisations to join hands with government to support the affected patients,” he said.
Empowerment irems gifted to the VVF patients included portable pasta making machine, one sack of flour, one bag of soya beans and four litres of vegetable oil each.
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, represented by the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Zahrau Muhammad Umar, commended the bank for the gesture while congratulating the survivors of VVF.
