The United Nations Children’s Fund has administered Polio vaccines to more than 1,000 displaced children aged between 0 to 59 months, currently residing at the Makurdi Ultra Modern International Market Internally Displaced Persons camp in Benue State.
The immunisation, carried out through the National Immunisation Plus Days, was part of efforts to prevent the outbreak of childhood diseases among children displaced from Yelewata.
In addition to the NIPDs campaign, UNICEF revealed that over 218 children in the camp have also been covered under routine immunisation programmes aimed at curbing the spread of childhood killer diseases.
Speaking shortly after a tour of the camp’s health facilities and interventions, UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Ifeyinwa Anyanyo, said the organisation operates a round-the-clock clinic at the camp, offering daily care to over 200 patients handled by qualified medical professionals.
Anyanyo said, “And in addition to the ANC we are also providing postnatal care services and child health services in the camp. As for the ANC services, we are collaborating with the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA our sister agency, and for the clinic services, we are collaborating with the World Health Organisation, WHO, as well. So we are happy to report that within the camp, we have not recorded any deaths.”
She also noted that antenatal care services are being provided for expectant mothers in the camp, with nine successful deliveries recorded so far.
More Read
“The mothers are well and the children are healthy,” she said.
According to her, routine immunisation is an ongoing service in the camp and complements the NIPDs campaign.
“Let me add that we have an immunisation point where routine immunisation services are being provided. This is outside NIPDs campaign that happens from time to time. The campaigns are happening in town, and we ensured that the teams came here to vaccinate children against Polio,” she explained.
She further added, “But routinely, we provide immunisation services in the camp. 218 children have been immunised through the routine immunisation services being provided in the camp. As for the NIPDs, over 1,000 children were vaccinated in the camp. Because these children are displaced, we are ensuring that they also get the services other children are getting.”
UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Gerida Birukila, who led a delegation of U.S. officials to the camp, also highlighted other interventions, including the distribution of over 1,000 mama kit bags to women in the camp.
Birukila said UNICEF is working closely with the Benue Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency to maintain regular water supply and hygiene in the camp.
She disclosed that more than 60 personnel have been engaged to maintain cleanliness and prevent waterborne disease outbreaks.
She stressed the importance of mental health support for displaced persons dealing with traumatic experiences.
“The trauma is real. Some women witnessed the killing of their family members, and they have children who also saw their parents being killed. Mental health is very important.
“I feel that in this community, it is when we have all left that the pain and grief will start. And I hope we will not forget them and their families. I wish that more could be done by the religious groups in this kind of situation.”
Birukila also called attention to the educational setbacks facing school-aged children in the camp who had missed their exams and lessons.
While noting that UNICEF had already established a temporary school in the camp, she advocated for additional support to help the children recover academically.
She reaffirmed UNICEF’s collaboration with partners including the UNFPA, WHO, Nigerian Red Cross, and the government to provide comprehensive support to the displaced population.
