Ten infants reportedly die of malnutrition in FCT IDPs Camp

Ten infants reportedly die of malnutrition in FCT IDPs Camp

The Waru Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja has witnessed the heartbreaking loss of at least ten infants due to malnutrition-related illnesses.

Mrs. Fatima Mohammed, the Women Leader of the camp, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Mohammed expressed deep concern over the persisting issue of malnutrition affecting infants and children in the camp, emphasizing that the ten reported deaths occurred since the camp’s establishment in 2013.

Highlighting the challenges faced by the IDPs, she stated, “You see, one of our major problems in this camp is the lack of good medical facilities, portable drinking water, and toilet facilities.”

Mohammed further explained that the deteriorating condition of the camp’s toilets has led to infections among women, some of which are chronic and affect their ability to bear children.

In a plea for assistance from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mohammed stressed the urgency of addressing their situation. “One of our basic needs is healthcare facilities, even though our stay here is temporary because some of us had businesses at home before insurgency displaced us from our various communities.”

While acknowledging past support from organizations such as the former Director-General of Refugees Commission, Imaan Suleiman, Mohammed lamented the lack of recent donations. She disclosed that the camp, hosting close to three thousand eight hundred and seventy individuals, has not received assistance since the departure of previous supporting organizations.

Commenting on empowerment efforts, she noted, “Even the empowerment scheme that the former minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya, brought to us, only seventeen people benefited out of this population.” The empowerment program primarily focused on skills acquisition, with some residents trained in tailoring and provided with sewing machines.