By Chinyere Amalu

Federal government has  inaugurated a committee that will work with Ebonyi State Government for the final takeover of the Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF) Centre in Ebonyi State as a National VVF Centre.

While Inaugurating the Committee in Abuja today, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Linus Awute, said that since 2015 which is the deadline set globally for the attainment of MDGs is just five years away, the Ministry of Health is working hard to ensure the attainment of MDGs.

He added that VVF is a major public health challenges in Nigeria, “because Nigeria currently carries the highest VVF burden in the World as such the Federal Government is not going to trivialize our challenges”.

“It is estimated that between 500,000-1,000,000 women are living with the problem and about 20,000 new cases annually”.

Adding that there are about 16 Centers offering surgical care to about 4000 fistula women per year at different level of expertise. “The designation of the Ebonyi State VVF Centre to National Fistula Centre was approved during the 53rd National Council on Health in Asaba, Delta state. This is in a bid to cope with the patients in the southern part and the nation at large”.

The Committee’s terms of reference are to assess the facilities on ground; identify gaps and areas of need and make recommendation for upgrading the centre to National Centre; assess the suitability and adequacy of personnel in line with the guideline on appointment in the Federal Public service; assess the funding and financial profile of the Centre, assess manpower gaps arising from the exercise, and make any other recommendation towards a smooth takeover of the centre.

He also charged the committee to think about job requirement of the centre and also to come out with funding profile to fill the gap.

Earlier, wife of the Governor of Ebonyi State Mrs, Josephine Elechi who was represented by the Hon. Commissioner of Health and Environment in the State, Dr. Sunday Nwanghele, said that the Idea of the centre was conceptualized in 2007adding, “ever since then, the centre has treated and rehabilitated free of charge to 524 women.