No fewer than 50 women are to benefit from free Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) in Mangu Local Government of Plateau.
Dr Edmond Banwat, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), disclosed this on Thursday in Mangu during a courtesy visit on the council chairman, Mr. Lawrence Danat.
Banwat said that the programme would be jointly organised by some U.S.-based agencies and JUTH to provide the free surgeries in Gindiri.
He called for assistance of the LGA in the provision of security and accommodation for the visiting surgeons, ahead of the two-week programme scheduled for end of March.
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“This free medical outreach that JUTH and some agencies in the U.S. will give to the women in Mangu is part of our design and magnanimity to give succour to people in dire need.
“Health is wealth as they say, so we intend to bestow this wealth upon the people, many of who find it difficult to treat themselves of this disease which comes as a result of some factors.
“VVF can be caused by early marriage among girls, especially during child birth, and usually causes serious embarrassment to the patient due to uncontrollable urine flow.
“VVF surgery costs up to N200,000 and we all know that in the country’s present economic state, raising such an amount is not easy.
“It is therefore based on this that JUTH in conjunction with some medical experts from the U.S., decided to reach out to some of these victims with this gesture.
“We are in your office to synergise with your council in the area of security and accommodation for the expatriates coming all the way from America,’’ the CMD said.
Responding, the council chairman pledged to synergise with them to ensure success of the programme in his domain.
He described the gesture as timely and encouraging, assuring that his office would to give 100 per cent support to the project. (NAN)
