The Nigerian Army has donated the new Vesico Viginal Fistula Ward to the General Hospital in Goronyo’s local government area of Sokoto State.
The President of the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association, (NAOWA) Mrs Salamatu Faruk Yahaya, during the Commissioning of the building, applauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, for providing the building to the Goronyo community.
Mrs Yahaya noted that the ward was meant to assist in curing women that are affected by the disease, especially in that part of the state that has the highest percentage of women battling with VVF.
“The ward was meant to cure those affected with the disease.
“It’s the disease that is associated with stigma, but what most people don’t know it is easily curable because I was told the surgery takes only 20 minutes or less than 20 minutes and it can be cured,” Mrs Faruk said.
She urged all women to be on advocacy through sensitising others that the disease is curable.
The NAOWA President further called on all affected women in the area to visit Goronyo General Hospital to utilise the facility for their overall health benefits.
Earlier, the NAOWA Chairperson of the 8 Division Nigerian Army, Mrs Florence Mutkut, said the completion of the VVF ward is an important milestone in upgrading the health challenges of people living in rural areas particularly those who were directly or indirectly affected by the disease.
She noted that the construction of the ward was necessitated as part of the NAOWA President’s desire to restore the dignity of women and girls living with the disease.
Mrs Mutkut further said the project was embarked upon by Nigerian Army with the sole aim of providing good health to all individuals mostly civilians residing in the Goronyo local government area.
She commended NAOWA President for giving the required attention to the intervention.
She further expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya, for his support not only to the women but to the entire barracks community.
Also in his remarks, the Commissioner for Health in the State, Muhammad Lema Abubakar, applauded the Nigerian Army for the intervention.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Director Medical Services of the Ministry, Dr Shuaibu Gobir, assured the Army that the state government would take full ownership of the facility which would assist in reducing VVF cases in the state.
In a separate development, the NAOWA President, Mrs Salamatu Faruk Yahaya, has also empowered 78 women who graduated from the association skills acquisition programme in Giginya Barracks.
Mrs Yahaya said the entrepreneur and skills acquisition training was part of Nigerian Army commitments to positively engage barracks women to become self-reliant.
She said the training was an affirmation of the NAOWA initiative that is ongoing across the country which impacted positively the lives of women in the barracks.
She said 78 members who graduated from the training in 2022 would benefit from starter packs to sustain their living.
Mrs Yahaya urged all the beneficiaries to use the opportunity to expand their businesses and to encourage others to participate and boost their economic status and become self-reliant.
Dominica Nwabufo
