Why I’m supporting VVF patients

C@LatifatOpoola

hidinma Peace Mbanasor is a Nurse and reproductive health provider, a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow and the initiator of Chidinma Peace Mbanasor Initiative.

During her youth service year, she worked at the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, in Ebonyi State where she discovered more than half of victims of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) always come back for repair after they have been treated and she sought why?

“During my NYSC year, I discovered over 70 per cent patients of Vesico-Viginal Fistula (VVF) would always come back with the same problem after repair and I wondered what the problem was. Was it the repair that is faulty or from the patients part, and if it is actually from the patients what is it that they do that always brings them back,” said Chidinma.

The masters student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka began strategizing on how to help these patients earn a living from little life skills without stressing or straining themselves.

So in 2015 with the support of the hospital management, she organized the pilot phase of the training where 79 women were trained. 68 of them were VVF survivors and the rest were junior staff of the hospital with the vision for them to be self-reliant economically.”

Her second training last month was with support from the hospital and the Public Affairs section of US consulate General in Lagos, she said.

“80 women were trained, we took a couple of women we trained from the first training, to facilitate this second phase,” Chidinma said.

She hopes to conduct the next training in June and expanding it to states Plateau, among others.