Health Workers, Humanitarian Group Visit Kaduna IDP Camp, Donate Relief Items, Medical Facilities

• Group bemaons the exposure of women and children to communicable disease by insurgency

As part of the concerted effort to tackle the virulent COVID-19 pandemic and also help in flattening the curve, a team of health workers and humanitarian groups, comprising COVID – 19 research group of the kaduna state ministry of health, 44 Nigerian Army Hospital in partnership with a Non- Governmental Organization, NGO, ODUMEHAJE Christian Medical Mission, OCMM, has paid a working visit to the internally displaced persons camp, IDPs in zonkwa – kaduna state.

The contingent embarked on the outreach on Thursday to bring respite and solace to the beleaguered internally displaced persons.

Leader of the team Dr. Odumu Paul. A. said the visit became imperative following the need to provide sucour to the internally displaced persons.

Paul disclosed that humanitarian services such as free medical treatment, provision of relief materials and medical facilities, as well as sensitization and awareness lectures on COVID – 19 Prevention were delivered.

Rev. Gambo Waziri receiving the items for the IDPs at the Centre. His immediate left is the team lead Dr. Odumu Paul and Dr. Zainab Idris at second right from the IDPs coordinator with the team of medical doctors and health workers

The Team lead, also the Chief Consultant on Family Physician at 44 Army Hospital-kaduna and principal Investigator on COVID – 19, cautioned them on the need to be safety conscious by adhering strictly to the infection prevention and control measures put in place by government to avert spread of the virus at the IDP camp.

Also Read: COVID-19: Deaths Rise To 205 In Lagos, 389 Cases Shun Treatment

Speaking also, during the medical outreach, member of the kaduna state Emergency Operations Center on COVID – 19, Dr. Zainab Idris Kwaru expressed regret that conflict had exposed many communities to the risk of contracting communicable diseases in large numbers particularly the vulnerable population of women and children, adolescents, the elderly and persons living with disabilities

Dr. Zainab Idris Kwaru who is also a member of the COVID-19 Risk Communication and Community engagement as well as Research Pillar, explained that the Research team in its effort to contain and prevent the community spread of COVID -19 was carrying out an assessment of preventive measures for the internally displaced persons, IDPs Camp in kaduna state

According to Dr. Zainab Kwaru, the Assessment findings would be used to better prepare those affected by the crisis and those infected with the virus to enable them remain safe and equipped to prevent the spread of the infection among those in the camp and environs.

She pointed out that it would further be used to plan, implement and evaluate for impact, strategies and interventions for better health service delivery as well as guarantee the survival of those in IDP camps, conflict-affected communities and the entire state

The Coordinator of Mercy IDPs Camp Zonkwa, Reverend Gambo Waziri who stressed the need for more government intervention especially in the area of security to prevent further destruction of lives and property said the camp was inhabited by over six thousand displaced persons from 28 Communities majorly women and children, noting that there were fifty eight pregnant women of which seven had given birth in the camp with record of two infant mortality.

He called that government should fastract effort in providing medical care to address the medical need of victims alongside empowering them and rebuilding their burned houses for them to resettle back to their communities

Earlier the Research Pillar of the team Dr. Zainab Idris while conducting a survey identified four key preventive measures such as: respiratory and hand hygiene, physical distancing and use of face mask to combat the virus in the camp.

The Team in collaboration with OCMM provided them with buckets for their hand washing and sanitizers, facemasks, hand gloves, malaria drugs, pain killers, antibiotics and diabetes medicine among other food items to alleviate their hardship.

Some of the beneficiaries at the camp, Philomena Paul and Sarah Ayuba who expressed gratitude to the Research team on COVID_19 and members of the Non Governmental Organization for their effort appealed to government and international community to come to their aid by providing them with building materials, health facilities and security to enable them rebuild and resettle back to their various communities.

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