Nigeria: UNFPA Donates Equipment to Combat VVF

THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated medical equipment worth N3.4 million to Mother and Child Care Initiative (MCCI), a pet project of the first lady of Ebonyi State, Mrs. Josephine Elechi, that is fighting to terminate Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF).

Speaking at the occasion that took place at Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital, UNFPA Country Representative, Mr. Sidiki Coulibaly, said that the body would stop at nothing in improving the lives of pregnant women and neo-nets or new born.

Coulibaly is determined to assist Nigeria in realizing the Millennium Development Goals, especially in the area of reducing incidences of maternal and child mortality, insisting that there was no justification for women to loose their lives in the process of given birth.

The international body also pledged to equally assist tackling the increasing cases of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in Ebonyi and other states in the country, stressing that all complications that usually arise in the course of child birth must be faced squarely.

Coulibaly stated that the maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria remains unacceptably high; adding that Nigeria contributing about 2% of the global population bears 10% of the global burden of maternal mortality and 40% of the global burden of obstetric fistula.

The Country Rep. stated that UNFPA is committed to a zero tolerance to maternal mortality and would continue to provide support to government at all levels in the implementation of practical broad based multi-sectoral interventions, within its mandate area.

According to him, “We are glad to provide support to the Ebonyi State government as a result of its commitment to the wellbeing of its citizens and the ownership and willingness to sustain relevant interventions demonstrated. UNFPA will continue to facilitate an environment where every pregnancy is wanted, every delivery is safe, every young person is free from HIV/AIDS and every girl and woman is treated with respect and dignity.”

By Dennis Agbo

Source: Vanguard Nigeria – 18 August 2008