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“Various studies in Nigeria…”
Wall, L. L. (2018). Tears for my sisters: The tragedy of obstetric fistula, p. 145.
“…40,000 deaths…”
Wall, L. L. (2018). Tears for my sisters: The tragedy of obstetric fistula, p. 142.
“…150,000 to 800,000.”
L.L. Wall, S.D. Arrowsmith, N.D. Briggs, A. Browning, Anyeti Lassey, “The Obstetric Vesicovaginal Fistula in the Developing World,” Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey, Vol. 60, No. 7, 2005, p. S6.
“The Fistula Fortnight: Healing Wounds, Renewing Hope,” a report on an effort organized by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the State Governments of Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto, and the United Nations Population Fund, p. 7.
“…it would take three decades…”
Estimating the number of fistula clinics in Nigeria, and the number of women cured annually, is guesswork. Seventeen was the number of clinics I was told were active during my 2018 visit, though others were planned, and it’s likely that some were moribund (and some are large while others are small). Speaking to experts, I was told that perhaps as many as 5,000 were cured every year, though the number could be significantly lower. I arrived at the estimate of three decades by calculating from the highest number of clinics and the highest number of annual cures—the reality is probably much worse.
“To get to Jos…”
Details of the journey from Abuja to Jos are derived from my own 2018 experience of being driven along that route—in the company of Dr. George—by a driver from the Evangel VVF hospital.
“…twin Boko Haram terrorist bombings…”
The bombings were widely covered.
The Guardian, May 21, 2014.