Angela Onwuzoo In a bid to improve the lives of children and adults with spina bifida in Nigeria, Festus Fajemilo Foundation has trained no fewer than 81 nurses and eight community outreach workers on the management of bowel and bladder incontinence associated with the condition. Both bowel and bladder incontinence are the major challenge affecting personas with spina bifida. The foundation is a non-profit organisation established to provide succour for persons/families affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus The nurses drawn from eight teaching hospitals across the country were trained on intermittent catheterization to enhance their capacity to deliver quality healthcare services to those with spina bifida.
The workshop organised by the FFF in Lagos recently in collaboration with Shine Charity, a national charity organisation dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of people affected by spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus in the United Kingdom. The training seeks to build and strengthen the skills, knowledge, and capacity of healthcare professionals in Nigeria to improve the life chances and futures of babies, children, and young adults with spina bifida. The capacity-building was supported by the UK Department of Health and Social Care.
Facilitated by experts from the UK and Nigeria, the workshop looked at the different interventions available to persons with spina bifida to lead a meaningful which includes Clean Intermittent Catheterisation, bowel washouts.