By Sam Tyav, Makurdi
A nongovernmental organization (NGO), UCare Nigeria, has organised a medical outreach for the Ichwa Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in North Bank, Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
Empowered with funding from ECOWAS Peace Fund, the NGO also commissioned a solar-powered borehole and provided improved toilet system for the IDPs.
The initiative is part of the organization’s programme which targets two other IIDP camps in Abagena and the Mega camp, the largest in the area.
Speaking during the event, Programme Officer of Ucare, Doofan Daga, said Ucare was intervening in water, sanitation, and health services so as to ease the plight of displaced persons.
Daga said that “we’ve implemented quite a number of projects such as drilling a solarized borehole and building a block of toilets.
“Today we are commissioning the borehole and carrying out a health outreach. Most of the IDPs have health challenges. We are supporting under-five children with Tombrown supplements, pregnant women with delivery kits, and adolescent and young girls with hygiene kits. Others will be attended to by our healthcare team from triage to the lab, pharmacy, and service delivery.”
The Programme Officer said that similar activities would take place in Abagena camp as well as Mega camp eventually as part of the programme’s close-out.
While disclosing what informed the choice of the three camps, Daga explained that some camps such as the one at the International Market already have better facilities like boreholes, while Ichwa had none that worked all year round.
According to her, “one borehole here dries up during the dry season. We engaged a contractor to carry out a geophysical survey and locate a reliable water source. The borehole will go a long way in serving them.
“Mega camp was chosen because of its large population—over 13,000 people, though some have gone to farms. We consulted with the Benue State Primary Health Care Board to identify priority needs.”
She noted that UCare would attend to about 300 IDPs during the Ichwa outreach, including 50 pregnant women and 300 adolescent girls.
The Programme Officer identified malnutrition and malaria as the most pressing health challenges in the camp, lamenting that the children were malnourished with the NGO delving into nutritional supplements as remedy.
She revealed also that they have made provision for mosquito nets, which would be given to households along with medicines.
“Testing is ongoing for HIV, hepatitis, and malaria,” she added.
Commissioning the borehole, Executive Secretary (ES), Benue State Primary Health Care Board, Mrs. Ashi Wende, commended UCare for partnering with the state government to improve healthcare access.
Responding on behalf of the IDPs, Mr Benjamin Nyajo from Tse Ako Ivaanan IDP camp, said he was impressed with UCare, adding that the organization has done more than they asked.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mrs Wende, ES, Benue State Primary Health Care Board (5th right) and the Ucare team during the ceremony.
