Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, Thursday, said Nigeria recorded 13,000 cases of obstetric fistula affecting women each year.
Dr Ohiri made this disclosure in Abuja during the flag off of the Fistula Free Intervention and inauguration of the steering committee for the programme by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate.
He said Nigeria account for 7.5% of obstetric fistula of the 2 million people living with unrepaired obstetric fistula globally.
“About 1 million are in developing countries and 100,000 affected by obstetric fistula,” he said.
Dr Ohiri added that the role of the NHIA is to reduce the physical and financial pains and produce health for all Nigerians.
“There are 4 National Obstetric Fistula Centres in Nigeria. They are in Bauchi, Edo, Katsina, Ebonyi. In the second phase of this, we hope to expand it to other hospitals that provide fistula care but are not necessarily designated for fistula care only,” Dr Ohiri stated.
He added that giving the backlog of financial access and at the current rate, if there is no intervention, it might increase to 83%.
Obstetric fistula is a complication, causing an abnormal hole between the bladder and vagina which results in uncontrolled, continuous leakage of urine through the vagina.
Responding, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Pate, commended the NHIA for the programme and noted that it is to handle the affordability of care for women who suffer from the consequences of child birth into virginia fistula.
