UNFPA, Norway and Kaduna State Government New Fistula Centres, Expand Care for Thousands of Women By Raymond Enoch
A strategic partnership between the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Government of Norway and the Kaduna State Government has led to the establishment of a new 12-bed comprehensive fistula centre at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital and the renovation of a 48-bed patient ward at Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, marking a major expansion of fistula treatment and care in Kaduna State.
The development represents a significant breakthrough in addressing obstetric fistula, one of the most devastating childbirth-related injuries affecting women across Nigeria.
For decades, women living with obstetric fistula in Kaduna State endured years of silent suffering due to limited treatment facilities. With a population of more than 10 million people, specialised care was available only at Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, which was established in 1999. For over 25 years, the hospital struggled to cope with the growing number of patients, leaving many women on long waiting lists because of limited surgical space and a shortage of trained personnel.
Paradigm News gathered that the new facilities will significantly improve access to treatment and help reduce the backlog of patients awaiting surgery and rehabilitation.
The new centre at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital was developed through UNFPA’s Norway-funded project, which initially began upgrading the hospital to establish it as a fistula treatment centre. While the original plan focused on adapting existing structures, the Kaduna State Government went further by funding the construction of a new comprehensive facility, which was later fully equipped under the UNFPA-Norway supported project.
Located within a densely populated area, the hospital was strategically selected to make treatment more accessible to women who previously had to travel long distances to receive care.
The expansion has already begun producing measurable results. Through the supply of essential fistula and midwifery kits, modern medical equipment and specialised training, the programme strengthened the state’s capacity to manage fistula cases.
Three doctors and eight nurses received intensive retraining in fistula management, enabling medical teams at the two centres to perform 702 fistula repair surgeries, with an average success rate of about 90 percent eight weeks after patients were discharged.
In addition to surgery, both centres provide rehabilitation and reintegration programmes aimed at helping survivors rebuild their lives. These initiatives support women emotionally and economically, equipping them with skills and opportunities to return to their communities with dignity and independence.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by senior government officials led by the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, who represented the Executive Governor. Also present were commissioners responsible for Health, Women Affairs, Youth Development, Agriculture, and Planning and Budget, alongside senior officials of UNFPA from the country and sub-offices.
In her keynote remarks, the Deputy Governor reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustaining investments in maternal health and fistula care. She pledged that the government would continue the funding and political support initiated through the UNFPA Norway-funded project in order to expand treatment services and strengthen prevention efforts.
As the world marks International Women’s Month, health advocates say the fight against fistula is not only a public health issue but also a matter of dignity, rights and justice for thousands of Nigerian women whose lives have been affected by preventable childbirth injuries.
With the new centres now operational, Kaduna State is moving from crisis management toward building a sustainable system aimed at ending obstetric fistula.
