Calabar — Dr Henry Uro-Chukwu of the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakiliki in Ebonyi State said yesterday that no fewer than 252 Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients from Cross River State have been repaired at the center. Also, senior programme assistant of USAID Fistula Care project, Mrs Ebere Diokpo, confirmed that 120 were also repaired at the Ogoja General Hospital in Cross River State.

Dr Uro-Chukwu, who is the medical director and head of fistula prevention at the centre, disclosed this at a one day stakeholders meeting on Obstetric Fistula project in Calabar. He said the awareness and availability of medical experts specializing in the treatment of VVF patients as well facilities in Ogoja General hospital were rapidly increasing.

He lamented that the prevalence of Obstetric Fistula cases have become widespread in the South-South region of the country.

"In other South-South states like Akwa Ibom, only three have been repaired, although there is a VVF hospital in Uyo. In Bayelsa , Delta, Edo and Rivers State, only 37 were repaired, which is not good in any way if you compare the increasing number of VVF patients in that axis", he said.