Benue IDPs inmates use toilet as delivery rooms

The inmates of Agagbe Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp in Gwer West Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue, have raised the alarm over the outbreak of measles and others ailments as well as the increasing starvation in the camp. 

The IDPs also expressed concerns over the resort to taking the delivery of pregnant women in toilets due to lack of medical care and support from the relevant authority warning that the practise had already led to the death of some new born babies in the camp. 

They appealed to the state government, spirited individuals and organisations to come to their aid, warning that the rate infections spread in the camp coupled with the lack of food and adequate medical care, the camp might record high date rates if nothing was done urgently. 

Speaking on the development Monday, the Camp Manager, Jacob Ibaah lamented that the IDPs were facing a dire situation that needed urgent intervention. 

According to him, two inmates had already lost their babies in the last few days, "one was premature birth, the other one lost the baby while giving birth. Both incidents happened on Sunday and Monday last week. 

"As we speak there is hunger in the camp. Also, they (pregnant women) could not get money to go the hospital so they delivered in the camp. Even a place to give birth is also a problem here; there is a space, a toilet built by Doctors Without Borders, MSF, which is where most women here use for baby delivery. 

"If they don't have money to go to hospital, they use the toilet. They give birth there since we are currently congested in the rooms. It's really tough. And the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, is aware of this development. 

"Also there is even the issue of outbreak of measles and other diseases here in the camp. Already we have identified six children who are down with measles and they are yet to received medical attention. But in the alternative they are taking native herbs. It is indeed a bad situation." 

When contacted, the acting Executive Secretary of Benue SEMA, Mr. James Iorpuu said, "I alloted 200 bags of rice to them during the last food distribution exercise." 

Benue is reported to be home to over two million IDPs housed in about 27 camps and host communities scattered across the state. Agabe is reported to be home to thousands of the IDPs in that axis of the state.