The silent struggles of VVF survivors
For many years, women have endured numerous challenges during and after pregnancy. One of the most devastating of these is Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), a condition caused by an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina, leading to persistent urinary leakage and discharge. Women may develop VVF after pelvic surgery or as a result […]
For many years, women have endured numerous challenges during and after pregnancy. One of the most devastating of these is Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), a condition caused by an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina, leading to persistent urinary leakage and discharge. Women may develop VVF after pelvic surgery or as a result of complications during childbirth. In some cases, it also arises from harmful traditional practices.
Due to its nature, life for women suffering from VVF is often marked by stigma, rejection, and deep emotional and physical distress. Many victims have been abandoned by their families and communities, treated as outcasts for a condition that is neither their fault nor within their control. While some receive sympathy as patients deserving care, many others are shunned as though they carry a curse.
Findings show that a number of survivors, left without any support system, have made repair centres their permanent homes, choosing to remain among fellow victims who have become their only source of comfort, acceptance, and newly found family.
A 2025 report revealed that by the end of April, 2,690 women in Kano had received free fistula repair surgeries under the new free-fistula programme.
National data from organisations working on fistula indicate that as of 2025, an estimated 114,000 women in Nigeria, are currently living with obstetric fistula, with about 12,000 new cases occurring each year. This reflects an unmet need – one that also affects Kano. In 2023, local doctors called for increased support as the main fistula centre became overcrowded, with 20 to 30 women arriving weekly in search of repair.
It was also gathered that over the decades, at least 15,000 women from Kano and beyond have undergone VVF surgery at the main centre. The free surgery scheme, active from 2024 into 2025, continues to provide care; nearly 2,700 women had received free surgery in Kano by April 2025.
Survivors recount ordeal
Maryam Sa’adu, a 32-year-old mother of two, has lived with VVF for many years. Despite two surgeries, she still manages the condition. She said she was 17 when she developed VVF after prolonged labour during her second pregnancy, which was handled by a traditional birth attendant. Ten days after delivery, she noticed she could no longer control her urine. Her parents rushed her to Jahun Hospital in Jigawa State, where she was diagnosed with VVF. Since then, her marriage has remained uncertain.
“During my treatment, my husband used to visit me, but along the line, he got tired and stopped coming. He didn’t divorce me, but he remarried even before I returned from the hospital in Kano. I have lived with this condition for years, though I am getting better now. I can now stay among friends and family, unlike before when the stigma and harassment from the constant leakage were at their peak,” she said.
Another survivor, Fatima Rabi Ali from Tofa Local Government Area, said she returned home after surgery only to face rejection from her husband, his relatives and some members of the community.
“When I came back from the hospital, life was never the same. I couldn’t mingle with my peers; and people avoided me. I had to live in isolation, not because I wanted but because I had no choice,” she said. She, however, added that over time, her husband and his relatives had begun treating her more kindly.
Similarly, Halima Aliyu from Tsamiya Babba in Gezawa Local Government Area, who is currently on admission at the VVF Centre in Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, said she suffered delivery complications that resulted in VVF. She is undergoing her second surgery and has been on admission for 15 days. She confirmed that treatment at the centre is free.
Another survivor, Bilkisu Adamu from Sauna Quarters in Nassarawa Local Government Area, said she had three Caesarean Sections (CS) before experiencing prolonged labour during her fourth pregnancy, which resulted in the loss of her baby after another CS. She was later diagnosed with VVF and has since undergone repair surgery at the centre.
She revealed that she faced intense humiliation from her husband’s family, to the point that despite her husband’s love, he was pressured into divorcing her.
Malama Lawisa Atiku, another survivor, said she developed VVF during her fourth delivery. She recently underwent free surgery at the centre. According to her, the warmth and care from hospital officials have helped her forget the trauma she experienced.
Specialist speaks
Dr Aminu Imam Yola, a fistula surgeon at the Murtala Muhammed General Hospital VVF Centre, explained that it has several causes among women of childbearing age. He said the condition usually occurred during childbirth when the baby’s head compresses the bladder against the pelvic bone. Prolonged labour can cause tissue death (necrosis), eventually leading to a fistula.
He added that hysterectomies and Caesarean Sections are also known causes, as surgical injury to the bladder during these procedures may lead to VVF.
Dr Yola further identified harmful traditional practices such as Yankan Gishiri – a form of genital cutting – as causes of VVF. He also mentioned female circumcision as a contributing factor.
He stressed the need for awareness campaigns on the dangers and prevention of VVF, emphasising early antenatal care and timely access to medical services.
“Once you are within childbearing age, antenatal care should be your first point of contact so that your pregnancy can be properly managed up to delivery. And if you are no longer within that age, your focus should be on preventive measures,” he advised.
The matron of the hospital, Hafsat Ibrahim, who is also the head of the VVF theatre, said the first challenge diagnosed women face was usually from their homes, where they often experience stigma and discrimination. She noted that traditional beliefs linking VVF to spiritual or demonic issues caused delayed medical care and worsened the condition.
Government and community support
It was gathered that the state government supports treated VVF patients through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, alongside civil society organisations (CSOs). Survivors are enrolled in skills-acquisition programmes and are offered counselling, empowerment materials, and reintegration support.
Islamic scholars have also urged the public to treat survivors with compassion. Sheikh Aminu Bala Bello of Masjid Khaleelullah called on communities to embrace repaired victims without discrimination.
“VVF is a medical condition that no one chooses. It is an illness from Allah, and it is treatable. Therefore, people must accept these women, support them and reintegrate them into the society,” he said.
Ustaz Magaji Farouk also reminded families that VVF is neither contagious nor a death sentence and should not be grounds for rejection or stigmatisation.