Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for urgent and coordinated action to end child marriage, empower girls through education and guarantee every woman access to quality maternal healthcare. Speaking in a statement on Saturday, May 23, 2026, to mark the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, Mrs Tinubu said no woman or girl should suffer from a condition that is entirely preventable and treatable. The day is observed annually under the auspices of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to raise awareness about obstetric fistula and mobilise support for its prevention and treatment. This year’s theme, “Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future without Fistula”, underscores that “access to quality maternal healthcare is a fundamental right”, Mrs Tinubu said.
The First Lady identified early marriage and early pregnancy as leading causes of obstetric fistula, a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women leaking urine or faeces continuously, often leading to chronic pain, infections, social isolation, divorce and, in many cases, premature death. “Harmful traditional practices and lack of awareness further limit access to skilled care and vital health information,” she warned. According to Mrs Tinubu, a young girl’s body is often not fully developed for childbirth, and when she becomes pregnant early, she is at high risk of prolonged obstructed labour, the primary cause of fistula. The condition is strictly linked to poverty, poor access to healthcare, child marriage, teenage pregnancy, malnutrition and the absence of skilled birth attendants during delivery.
The First Lady stressed that prevention is key, calling for a two‑pronged approach: first, prevention through education and legal reforms, and second, treatment and reintegration for those already affected. “We must act urgently to end child marriage, empower girls through education, and ensure every woman has access to quality healthcare,” she said. Mrs Tinubu also framed the fight against fistula as part of a broader effort to make childbirth safer across Nigeria. “Let us work together to build a future where every birth is safe and no woman loses her life in childbirth,” she urged, concluding her message with well wishes for the observance: “Happy International Day to End Obstetric Fistula.”
Obstetric fistula is an abnormal opening between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum, caused by prolonged obstructed labour without timely medical intervention. Each year, between 50,000 and 100,000 women worldwide sustain the injury, with more than two million currently living with untreated fistula. Nigeria accounts for an estimated 40 percent of global fistula cases, with between 400,000 and 800,000 women and girls living with the condition and 12,000 to 20,000 new cases added each year. The majority of cases are concentrated in the North‑West and North‑East geopolitical zones, where child marriage, poverty, illiteracy and limited access to skilled birth attendants remain alarmingly high.
Obstetric fistula occurs when a young woman experiences prolonged obstructed labour and has no access to a caesarean section. The obstruction can happen because her pelvis is too small, the baby’s head is too large, or the baby is positioned badly. She may be in labour for days without medical help. The baby often dies, and if the mother survives, she is left with extensive tissue damage to her birth canal. The results are life‑shattering: she cannot control the flow of urine or faeces; nerve damage to her legs may also make walking difficult. Rather than being comforted for the loss of her child, she is often rejected by her husband, shunned by her community and left to live a life of shame and isolation. If she remains untreated, she may die prematurely from infection or kidney failure.
In Nigeria, the UNFPA estimates that more than 400,000 women remain untreated, with the agency repairing about 3,000 cases annually. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised the alarm over the rising number of cases, with its Jahun General Hospital in Jigawa State alone admitting 295 women for fistula treatment in 2025 and performing 224 reconstructive surgeries. Between January and March 2026, a further 64 patients were admitted, with 48 receiving surgical care. Most of these women, MSF says, arrived at the facility after several days of labour at home without access to emergency obstetric care. The organisation has called for sustained investment in maternal health services, including trained midwives, antenatal care and emergency caesarean sections, to prevent this entirely avoidable injury.
Mrs Tinubu’s statement was echoed by the UNFPA, which has long championed the campaign to end fistula. The agency recommends universal access to reproductive health services, including maternal health care and fistula treatment. UNFPA Nigeria has supported free fistula repair surgeries for hundreds of women at various centres, including the Vesico Vaginal Fistula Centre at Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Zaria, Kaduna State. The Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund, Ms. Ulla Mueller, has repeatedly stated that gender equality is key to ending obstetric fistula in Nigeria.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, has initiated a comprehensive obstetric fistula care programme aimed at tackling the backlog of cases, especially at national fistula centres in Katsina, Bauchi, Ebonyi and Edo states. However, advocates warn that without a concerted effort to end child marriage and keep girls in school, the incidence of fistula will continue to rise. In many northern states, child marriage is still legally permitted, and girls as young as 10 are being given away in marriage, often to much older men. These girls become pregnant before their bodies are fully developed, leading to obstructed labour and, in many cases, fistula.
On this International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, Mrs Tinubu’s message is clear: the time for excuses is over. “We must act urgently to end child marriage, empower girls through education, and ensure every woman has access to quality healthcare,” she said. The First Lady has pledged to use her platform to advocate for policies that protect women and girls, and she has called on all Nigerians to join the fight. “No woman should suffer from a condition that is entirely preventable and treatable,” she reiterated. As Nigeria strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including target 3.8 on universal health coverage and target 5.3 on eliminating all harmful practices such as child marriage, the elimination of obstetric fistula must be a national priority. The 2026 International Day to End Obstetric Fistula serves as a reminder that every woman has a right to a safe delivery, and that with the right investments, a future without fistula is within reach.
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