The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on the federal government, corporate organisations and international agencies to assist Kogi state with relief materials, medical facilities and palliatives in order to avert the impending outbreak of diseases in IDP camps due to the flood disaster in the state.
Chairman Kogi state chapter of the association, Dr Olusola Baoku, made the call at a press conference in Lokoja, Tuesday.
According to him, the executive members of the association together with the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had visited many places affected by the flood in Lokoja, stressing that the quantum of damage done by the flood disaster could not be shouldered by the state government alone, warning that if urgent steps were not taken, there could be outbreak of infectious diseases in the camps due to the high population of the victims.
“We visited Saint Luke Primary School Adankolo in Lokoja ,one of the flood victims’ camp, the numbers of people; women, children adults and the elderly are many.
“Our fear right now is that there can be outbreak of diseases that is why as association in charge of health and wellbeing of people we are urging the federal government and other spirited individual to come to the aid of Kogi state to possibly avert this impending health challenges because the disaster is beyond the control of the state government,” he said.
While recounting some of the losses suffered by communities, the MNA chairman said in Ibaji local government known as the food basket of the state, farm land and houses were completely washed away by the flood, leaving the people in perpetual hunger and suffering.
