By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
Following devastating flood that ravaged Borno state, Save the Children international (SCI), has called for intervention to prevent the spread of the outbreak of cholera at the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Maiduguri.
SCI Country Director, SCI, Nigeria, Duncan Harvey, made the call recently in Abuja.
Duncan, who spoke on his visit along with his team to assess the impact of the flooding described the situation “as the worst in living memory”.
He said over 1 million people across Borno State have been affected by the flash floods, with 400,000 displaced, adding that 300,000 have found shelter in 26 displacement camps.
He further said that the condition of living in Bakassi camp, one of the largest camps, is harsh for children; owing to overcrowding, and lack of basic services and shelter.
He added that food and water are also in very short supply, despite the best efforts to scale up responses.
“Our immediate concern is the short-term need for food, water, and shelter, especially for children and their families.
“Additionally, we are supporting children who have been separated from their families. One of the most distressing things I witnessed in Bekasi camp was around 20 children who had been separated from their families. Our child protection team is working hard to reunite them with their families, while providing appropriate care in the meantime.
“We are particularly concerned because this disaster occurred during the lean season, when malnutrition is already at its peak. Many children were already malnourished before the flood, and now face even more severe challenges living in these camps.
“The state government has shown impressive leadership in response efforts, and the coordination on the ground has been commendable. However, the conditions for children are dire, and there is an urgent need for more resources and stronger coordination to scale up life-saving interventions.
“We have about 200 staff working on the ground, collaborating with the Borno state government, the UN, and other international NGOs to respond as effectively as possible. Tomorrow, I’ll be meeting with the humanitarian country team, and we’ll be working to coordinate our resources to save as many lives as we can, with a particular focus on children.”
