Reports have emerged revealing the heart-wrenching loss of ten infants due to malnutrition-related illnesses in the Waru Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, situated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
During an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday, Fatima Mohammed, the Women Leader of the Camp, solemnly disclosed that this distressing figure has accumulated since the establishment of the Camp in 2013.
Mrs. Mohammed expressed deep concern over the prevalent issue of malnutrition among the infants and children in the Camp. She lamented, ”As I am talking to you now, one of the nursing mothers recently passed away in this camp.’
She further decried the inadequate medical facilities, access to clean drinking water, and proper toilet facilities in the camp. Mrs. Mohammed highlighted the deplorable conditions of the toilets, which have resulted in numerous women contracting infections, some of which are severe and even impact their reproductive health.
Advocating for urgent intervention from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the Women Leader underscored the critical need for immediate attention to their plight.
”One of our fundamental needs is access to healthcare facilities, despite the temporary nature of our stay here. Many of us had thriving businesses in our respective communities before being displaced by insurgency,” she stated.
She also expressed gratitude towards organizations that had previously provided support, such as the former Director-General of the Refugees Commission, Imaan Suleiman, and appealed for continued assistance. Mrs. Mohammed bemoaned the lack of donations from any organization following the departure of previous supporters.
With the camp accommodating nearly three thousand eight hundred and seventy individuals, she highlighted the stark disparity in the reach of assistance programs. Notably, she cited that out of this significant population, only seventeen individuals benefitted from the empowerment scheme introduced by the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya. The empowerment program primarily focused on skills acquisition, with some residents undergoing tailoring training and receiving sewing machines,” she explained.
These stark revelations shed light on the pressing challenges facing the residents of the Waru IDP Camp, imploring immediate and sustained assistance for this vulnerable community.
