Oluremi Tinubu urges end to child marriage, better maternal care

Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has issued a strong call for urgent action to combat child marriage and enhance maternal healthcare access for all women and girls. Speaking on the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula, observed annually on May 23, Mrs. Tinubu emphasized that no woman or girl should suffer from a condition that is entirely preventable and treatable.

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Harmful traditional practices and lack of awareness further limit access to skilled care and vital health information.

Under the theme ‘Her Health, Her Right: Shaping a Future without Fistula,’ the First Lady asserted that quality maternal healthcare must be recognized as a fundamental right. She identified early marriage and early pregnancy as significant contributors to obstetric fistula, explaining that young girls' bodies are often not fully developed for childbirth. "Harmful traditional practices and lack of awareness further limit access to skilled care and vital health information," she stated.

Mrs. Tinubu urged a collaborative effort, declaring, "We must act urgently to end child marriage, empower girls through education, and ensure every woman has access to quality healthcare." She expressed a vision for a future where every birth is safe and no woman loses her life during childbirth.

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We must act urgently to end child marriage, empower girls through education, and ensure every woman has access to quality healthcare.

Obstetric fistula, characterized by an abnormal opening between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum due to prolonged obstructed labor without timely medical intervention, leads to chronic incontinence, social isolation, and severe psychological distress. UNFPA data indicates that Nigeria has an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 women living with the condition, with approximately 20,000 new cases emerging each year. These cases are predominantly concentrated in the North-West and North-East regions, areas marked by high rates of child marriage, poverty, and limited access to skilled birth attendants.

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Let us work together to build a future where every birth is safe and no woman loses her life in childbirth.