The Stefanos Foundation, a Jos-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), has solicited the support of Nigerians and corporate organisations to address the increasing health needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps scattered across Nigeria and parts of Cameroun.
Its Programme Coordinator, Mr Mark Lipdo, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.
He said the situation could degenerate if nothing was done urgently to address the challenge.
The coordinator said more than 400 IDPs had so far died due to cholera between October 2014 to date at the Gawar and Zamay camps in Cameroun.
He added that 47 people tested positive to hepatitis in camps managed by the Foundation in Nigeria, while others were living with different ailments that required urgent treatment.
He noted that “for now, Stefanos Foundation is providing emergency medical services at the clinic in Bukuru camp, while critical cases are referred to appropriate hospitals.”
He said: “The clinic spends about N80, 000 per month on essential drugs and medical consumables but the most prevalent health cases in the camps are malaria and cough.
“So far, the clinic has registered two critical cases requiring about N250, 000, so, we are calling for assistance from individuals and corporate bodies.”
Lipdo added that the increasing health and other needs of the IDPs was overwhelming, hence the urgent need for support.
He identified other needs of the IDPs camps to include the provision of water supply, beddings and mosquito nets, trauma care, vaccination, treatment and provision of essential drugs.
Lipdo said the Foundation had done its best by not only providing food and healthcare for the more than 12,000 IDPs in camps in the country, but had executed projects in the camps to make them more habitable.
He said the inhabitants of the Jos and Nasarawa IDPs camps were indigenes of Kunde, Tatsa, Himbe, Gathoghre, Gharaza and other villages on the Gwoza hills of Borno state.
