IDPs decry abandonment of health facilities in Adamawa camps

Some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Malkohi and Fufore camps in Adamawa have decried the abandonment of health centres in the camps since the end of June.

The IDPs who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday said health workers have not reported for work since June, forcing the inmates to seek for health services outside the camps.

Rahanatu Abdulhamid, a mother of seven, said the inmates were finding it difficult to manage and get proper treatment for their illnesses.

According to her, the health facility in the camp was in good condition and stocked with drugs, but no health workers.

She added that, in spite of their living condition, the IDPs spend between N2,000 to N3,000 on drugs and injection, for the treatment of a child outside the camp.

Malam Lawan Waida, Chairman Malkohi IDP camp, confirmed that the health workers stopped coming to work since June 30.

He expressed concern that drugs and consumables locked in the health facilities might have expired by now.

“We are appealing to the state government to as a matter of urgency, redeploy health workers to the camps.

“Our people are suffering due to the absence of the health officials in the camps and the situation is hard”, he said.

Malam Abbas Bukar, Chairman Fufore IDPs camp, said that they recorded many deaths in the last two weeks as a result of high fever and other sicknesses in the camp.

Bukar attributed the high rate of deaths to the absence of the health workers and hunger.

He appealed to governments and the well-to-do in the society to come to their aid.

A reliable source told NAN that before now, the facilities were managed by UNICEF in collaboration with the state Primary Healthcare Board.

However, since the withdrawal of UNICEF in June, the health officials did not turn up for work.

He said this had forced some of the IDPs to go for traditional medicine while those that could afford, patronise health facilities outside the camps.

When contacted, Mr Midela Anuhu, Head of Operation, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in charge of Adamawa and Taraba, said they had reached out to the state government on the issue.

“We have already spoken with the Director, Primary Healthcare on how to redeploy the healthcare providers back to camp and we are hopeful this will soon be done,” he said.

(NAN)