The coordinator, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Kwara, Idayat Bello-Olaitan, says the scheme has introduced care for vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) patients as it enrols 71.

She said on Monday in Ilorin that 71 women had benefitted from the Free Fistula Programmes (FFP), with 31 already enrolled under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

VVF is an abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence.

The entity is one of the most distressing complications of gynaecologic and obstetric procedures.

The coordinator said, “The government is focusing on crashing maternal mortality and morbidity through various maternal intervention programmes such as NHIA-FFP and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC).

“Women with obstetric fistulas are being attended to without incurring out-of-pocket expenses.

“Feeding and transportation costs are also covered for all beneficiaries of the programme.”

The NHIA coordinator explained that the beneficiaries are also counselled on family planning and access to the different child-spacing methods, as well as enrollment into another health insurance programme under BHCPF by the state’s Social Health Insurance Agency.

According to her, it is part of the comprehensive package to prevent catastrophic spending due to the obstetric condition.

Ms Bello-Olaitan said the authority is directing its strategic focus on those priority areas to ensure quality healthcare services to all Nigerians, especially the vulnerable groups, to leave no one behind.

She also disclosed that other programmes introduced by the scheme are cases of maternal emergencies such as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, haemorrhage, puerperal sepsis, post-abortion complications, and prolonged obstructed labour.

“These are among the commonest causes of maternal mortality and morbidity among pregnant women, especially the vulnerable ones,” she said.

She pointed out that the state benefits from the programmes, with many success stories recorded since its inception in 2024.

“This is in alignment with the president’s renewed hope agenda, which focuses on education, health, and social development,” she said.

(NAN)