The Hajiya Gambo Sawaba General Hospital (HGSGH) Fistula Centre in Zaria says it has successfully repaired over 2,000 obstetric fistula cases since its establishment in 1999.
Chief Surgeon of the Center, Dr Mohammed-Ado Zakari, disclosed this on Saturday during the 2026 commemoration of the International Day to End Fistula held at the hospital.
Zakari said the centre currently performs an average of 150 fistula repair surgeries annually, with a success rate of over 70 per cent.
He added that five doctors and several nurses have been trained at the centre under the mentorship of Dutch fistula surgeon, Dr Kees Waldijk.
According to him, the centre was established through collaboration between the Kaduna State Government, Rotary International, and Waldijk to address obstetric fistula in northern Nigeria.
The 2026 theme of the International Day to End Fistula is “Her Health is a Right: Invest in Ending Fistula and Childbirth Injury.”
The centre marked the day with a special session involving traditional and religious leaders.
Participants were encouraged to utilise the state health insurance scheme and federal government interventions to improve access to affordable maternal healthcare services.
Zakari described obstetric fistula as an abnormal opening between the vagina and bladder or rectum, often caused by prolonged obstructed labour, leading to continuous leakage of urine or stool.
He said the condition remains a major public health challenge, especially among rural women with limited access to quality maternal healthcare.
He revealed that more than two million women globally are living with untreated fistula, while 50,000 to 100,000 new cases occur annually.
Zakari added that Nigeria alone may account for between 100,000 and one million women living with the condition.
He identified early marriage, home delivery, shortage of skilled birth attendants, poverty, and prolonged obstructed labour as major causes.
He also raised concern over rising cases linked to medical quackery and poor surgical practices.
According to him, more than 60 per cent of private clinics in Zaria lack qualified personnel for maternal healthcare services.
“We currently have patients undergoing fistula repairs who were victims of quack medical practices,” he said.
The surgeon commended the Federal Government for interventions such as the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programme.
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Husaina Adamu, reaffirmed the hospital’s commitment to quality care for fistula patients.
She called for increased investment from governments, development partners, and philanthropists to strengthen maternal healthcare and eliminate childbirth injuries.
The District Head of Zaria and Kewaye, Alhaji Sambo Shehu Idris, commended the centre for the programme.
Represented by the Ward Head of Madarkaci, Alhaji Ibrahim Sarki, he said traditional rulers remain closest to communities and often identify illegal medical practices.
He, however, lamented the lack of decisive action by relevant authorities against quack health facilities.
COV/IBRAHIM SULEIMAN
