Chioma
Umeha
The Minister of Health,
Prof. Isaac Adewole has called on development partners to assist the
government-led efforts, saying there will be great need for maternal, neonatal
and children health interventions and adequate provision for life saving drugs.
Adewole who has been
monitoring and coordinating the health ministry’s intervention noted that the
Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi has been on ground deploying medical
personnel involved in surveillance and follow-up activities to those affected
by the flood. so far in the response to the flood.
He said: “Our emergency
medical camp opened at the International market in Makurdi have thousands
of people registered already, which is increasing on an hourly
basis as more residents are reporting for medical check – up as we have
embarked on a sensitization campaign using the state owned electronic media.
“We have also
established communication and escalation path with Benue State SEMA with clear
instructions to refer all emergencies and advanced critical cases to FMC.
The Federal Medical Centre has effected and issued circular mandating Hospital
staff to provide treatment for all Flood Patients at no cost.”
According to Adewole
“4775 people are in the camp including; Men 531, Women 642, Children 1387,
under five 582, pregnant women 92, lactating mothers 115 and 74 persons living
with disabilities.”
“The victims of Makurdi
flood are in our thoughts and prayers. We urge our development partners to join
hands with us as our colleagues continue providing Emergency Medical Relief and
Psyco-Social care to victims,” he said,
The Federal Ministry of
Health in collaboration with Benue State Government Emergency Management Agency
is working round the clock to assist citizens affected by the unfortunate
incident and ensure the control of diseases that may arise as a result of the
hazardous contamination of the lower and upper basin of the water such as
communicable water-borne diseases, gastrointestinal and upper respiratory tract
infections.
