The Chairman, Internally Displaced Persons camp in New Kuchingoro, Abuja, Mr. Philemon Emmanuel, has decried lack of government’s attention and support to the plight of the IDPs living in the camp.
Emmanuel made this known to newsmen during a sensitisation and distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), to the camp by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), Pyrates Confraternity, Sahara Deck.
He said that the problem of the IDPs became more critical and worrisome during this period of COVID-19.
“The clinic here is from the German government, skills acquisition centre and other building here are built by the South African embassy; there is no impact or support from our own government to our people here.
“We are grateful to NAS, this is not the first time of giving us their support, NGOs used to come here to support us, we are really grateful to these people.
“We will ensure these palliatives of facemasks and hand sanitisers are well distributed,” he said.
Mrs Marietta Oguejiofor, the Health Coordinator in the camp, requested for drugs to support the IDPs, adding that shortage of drugs was one of the major problems confronting them.
Oguejiofor said she had been in the camp since September 2011 after her retirement doing voluntary work just to put smiles on the faces of the people.
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She told journalists that the camp had not witnessed any case of coronavirus but there were cases of cough and catarrh, saying when they were treated with medication, the people became well immediately.
Mr. Odoemene Chiazor, the National Health Coordinator of NAS said that the association thought it wise and necessary to visit and sensitise the people in the camp going by the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Chiazor said that there was need to talk to the people and educate them on the preventive measures and on how to avoid being infected and spreading the disease.
“If any case is discovered in the camp, it can spread quicker because of the congested nature of the environment, hence the need to educate them,’’ he said.
Mr. Wisdom Ekanem, the medical mate, Sahara Deck, said that the visit of NAS medical team to the camp was in line with the cardinal point of humanitarian development of the association.
Mr. Obiekwe Isaac, the NAS Steerer in Abuja city centre, promised to take the plight of the IDPs and their needs to the appropriate authorities and urged them not to blame government for everything.
Isaac said the demand on government were enormous, adding that government could not address all issues at the same time.
“On our own part as an association, we will try to reach out to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, especially on the need of the children who are in the basic school where this IDP camp is located,” Isaac said. (NAN)
