Shock, disbelief as Benue IDPs camp records 200 babies a month
•sleeping with our wives makes us happy, ease our pains — IDP
•it’s unacceptable, women there are helpless — ES Primary Health Care Board
There is no gain in saying that Benue State is currently the hub of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the country. With about 17 or more IDPs camps housing over 1.5 million IDPs, including those sheltering in the host communities, the state is no doubt facing a herculean task catering to the needs of these persons of concern.
The IDPs were forced out of their ancestral homes following repeated attacks and siege by armed herdsmen who are bent on defying the extant grazing law in the state.
From Guma to Agatu, Gwer West, Kwande, Makurdi, Logo, Apa, Okpokwu, Bururku, Otukpo and other local government areas, LGAs, it’s all tales of woes as the rural Benue farmers who are known for their prowess in food production have vacated their ancestral homes and taken refuge in IDPs camps.
Though the present administration has pledged to have them relocated back home, but while that move is still being awaited, the IDPs remain confined in these camps, living on the support they receive from the state government, kind-hearted individuals and organisations.
Given the dire condition in the camps the IDPs are faced with the challenges of inadequate food and drugs supply, including insufficient sleeping spaces and other challenges that make life unbearable for them.
But in the mist of these challenges one notable issue is the high rate of new child births being recorded in some of the camps.
Findings indicated that while the IDPs live in dire conditions amid insufficient sleeping space, they still make out space to make babies.
Strange as it may sound, the reality is that new born babies are recorded in the camps in high numbers despite the living condition of the IDPs.
The development though, a reason for celebration for families in a normal living environment, is considered a source of concern in an IDPs camp as it puts a huge strain on the healthcare service there.
Besides, the new born are brought to a world of uncertainty in IDPs camps where access to proper health care services and feeding sometimes gets daunting leading to health challenges and even malnutrition as was the case recently at the Ortese IDPs camp in Guma LGA where cases of malnutrition were discovered among the children.
In fact, it was also discovered in that camp that over 200 new babies were given birth to in one month by displaced mothers taking refuge in that camp alone.
The alarming figure which left tongues wagging was indeed part of the findings of the Integrated Supportive Supervision, ISS, of the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Health Organisation, UNICEF/WHO Humanitarian Health Response, IDP, Outreach implemented by the Benue State Primary Healthcare Board, carried out at the Ortese and Ichwa IDPs camps in Guma and Makurdi local government areas, respectively.
