The popular
musician, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, has arrived at the camp
for internally displaced persons in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
The artist,
a native of Benue State, arrived at 10:40 a.m. to donate gifts to thousands of
families who are urgently taking shelter at the camp.
An estimated
110,000 people are believed to have been affected by the massive flood that
destroyed homes of residents following days of rainfall last week.
TuFace
arrived with his wife and actress, Annie, and is expected to perform briefly
under the Benue Flood Relief Initiative.
Also, the
minister for health, Isaac Adewole, has called on development partners for more
support to assist Benue State flood victims.
Some
communities in Benue State were last week ravaged by floods which washed away
villages, farmlands, food storage facilities and left many people displaced.
A statement
released by the ministry of health on Tuesday said it is collaborating with
Benue State Government Emergency Management Agency, BSEMA, to assist citizens
affected by the flood and ensure the control of diseases that may arise as a
result.
To achieve
this, the ministry has established a “communication and escalation path” with
the BSEMA with clear instructions to refer all emergencies and advanced
critical cases to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, in the state.
The minister
has also issued a circular mandating FMC hospital staff to provide treatment
for all flood victims at no cost.
Mr. Adewole
who has been monitoring and coordinating the health ministry’s intervention
noted that thousands of people have already registered at the emergency medical
camp opened at the international market in Makurdi and the “number is
increasing on an hourly basis as more residents are reporting for medical
checks.”
PREMIUM
TIMES learnt that 3423 people are currently in the camp including men, 531;
women, 642; children (over 5 years), 1387; under five kids, 582; pregnant
women, 92; lactating mothers, 115 and 74 persons living with disabilities.
The minister
noted that there will be a need for maternal, neonatal and children health
interventions and adequate provision for life saving drugs.
The ministry
said it has been reaching out to about 700 households who are within the
communities and churches while the Air Force medical services teams have now
taken over the camp clinic.
The team
from the ministry was also asked to compile the comprehensive list of pregnant
women and children under- five for close monitoring, supervision and care.
0 Comments