United States Agency for International Development (USAID) commits about N60 million to Kwara State government on fistula treatment for financially challenged grass roots women every year in the state.

Speaking after courtesy visits to Commissioner for Health, Dr Kayode Issa and Kwara State Specialist Hospital, Sobi, Ilorin recently, the country project manager of the international agency, Iyeme Efem, said other implementation activities in the state include capacity building, training, provision of medical supply, consumables and direct support for community mobilisation, among others.

The USAID country project manager, who lauded the Kwara State government on on-going efforts in fistula intervention, said things are working well in the state while commending the government on rehabilitation of fistula patients on free feeding during pre and post operation.

He also requested that the state government should take its collaborative efforts on the programme to the next level by developing a budget line item for fistula intervention to enable adequate planning and implementation without depending on other sources, more so the donor agency programme has time lag.

He therefore called on the management team of Life Empowered Anchors Hope (LEAH) charity foundation; a pet project of wife of the governor, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, to support the women to continue to live normal life, considering their poor financial background and the stigmatisation they face in their communities.

The USAID manager, who said the fistula treatment has three components of preventive, repair and rehabilitation, told the medical team at the State Specialist Hospital, Sobi to incorporate family planning in the treatment of fistula as preventive aspect.

He also said that they should maintain an effective record on the treatment to show estimate on prevalence to match problem with solution.

Out of 13 fistula patients at State specialist hoppital, Sobi, Ilorin, 10 are from Kwara North zone, in Moro area, and one each from Oyo, Osun and Kogi states.