Nigerian Health Workers Blame Cultural Practices for Fistula Epidemic
update
- By Chika Oduah
Nigeria has the world's highest occurrence of fistulas - abnormal holes in the birth canal. Between 400,000 to 800,000 women in Nigeria developed the condition while giving birth. The Nigerian government says addressing early marriage will help to reduce fistulas, but health workers say other cultural factors are also to blame for the high rate. Chika Oduah traveled to the cities of Sokoto, Jos and Kaduna to visit fistula treatment hospitals and meet women afflicted with the condition.