By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Kwara Coordinator, Hajia Idayat Bello-Olaitan has disclosed that the scheme has introduced care for fistula patient as it enrols 71 in Kwara.
Vaginal fistula is an abnormal opening between the vagina and other nearby organs in the pelvis, including the bladder or rectum.
A fistula can cause many complications, such as urinary and fecal leakage, abnormal vaginal discharge, tissue damage, kidney infections and other irritative type symptoms.
Bello-Olaitan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ilorin about 71 women had benefited from the Free Fistula Programs (FFP), with 31 of them already enrolled under Basic HealthCare Provision Funds (BHCPF).
She explained that the government is focusing on crashing maternal mortality and morbidity through various maternal initiative intervention programs such as NHIA-FFP and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC).
“All women with any forms of obstetric fistula are to be attended to without incurring out of pocket expenses.
“Feeding and transportation cost are covered for all beneficiaries of this program,” she said
.
The NHIA Kwara Coordinator explained further that the beneficiaries are counseled on the use of family planning and access to it as well enrollment into another health insurance program under BHCPF by the state social health insurance agency.
According to her, this is part of the comprehensive package to ensure prevention of catastrophic spending as a result of the obstetric condition.
Bello-Olaitan observed that the authority is directing its strategic focus on those priority areas are focus on equity and quality and improved health care services to all Nigerians especially the vulnerable groups so as to leave no one behind.
She also disclosed that other programmes introduced by the scheme are cases of maternal emergencies such as pre-eclampsiaeclampsia, Haemorrhage, pueperial sepsis, post abortion complications and prolong obstructed labor.
“These are among the commonest causes of maternal mortality and morbidity among our pregnant women especially the vulnerable ones,” she said.
The Kwara-NHIA coordinator pointed out that the state is actively benefiting from all these programs and positive impact with many success stories has been recorded since inception of the program in 2024.
“This is in alignment with the president’s renewed hope agenda,which focus on education, health and social development,” she said.
