Flood: Malaria, hypertension cases high in Benue IDP camps
It was 2:56 pm on Tuesday, a young woman lay on a bed apparently asleep in one of the rooms converted to an emergency medical ward by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) medical outpost programme at the Internally Displaced Peoples’ (IDPs) camp in Makurdi.
Her name was not given but the coordinator of the NAF medical team, Squadron Leader Jerimiah Amase, simply disclosed that the woman, a victim of the recent flooding in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, was under observation for High Blood Pressure otherwise known as hypertension.
Amase said cases such as hers were most prevalent in the camp, though none had been so complicated beyond what the medical outreach could contain since the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique, kick started the programme two weeks ago.
“We have one bed rest patient on observation for hypertension. Since the programme started, we haven’t had cases that we can’t handle,” Amase said.
According to him, cases of malaria and hypertension were commonest among ailments treated at the camp because most of the victims had been living with the ailments from their homes without knowing.
While he expressed satisfaction with the sanitary condition of the camp environment as it had helped against any outbreak of communicable diseases, Amase said the medical team was very alert to take care of immediate challenges.
He said there was no outbreak of cholera or diarrhoea at the camp and that only two paediatric cases have been referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Makurdi for further treatment.
The Airforce medical team coordinator added that, “We have seen 100 patients today (last Tuesday). Since the programme started, it is only today that we had two paediatrics referred to the hospital.”
Amase explained further that over 900 patients had been treated by the team since the deployment of the medical outpost to the camp by the Air Force in collaboration with UNICEF and BENGONET among others.
Though, no delivery had been recorded yet at the camp, the Air Force officer stressed that cases which required closer attention were referred to the Federal Medical Centre, the state’s Teaching hospital or the Air Force hospital all in Makurdi.
Our correspondent gathered that of the 5,000 people taking refuge at the IDP camp, about 3,000 were children while the remaining 2000 consisted of adult males and females.
The outreach coordinator added that the medical team had been creating awareness on post traumatic cases as well and expressed happiness that not even a single case of diarrhoea has been recorded since they came on ground.
Similarly, no death has been recorded in the camp, he said.
Interestingly, there are drugs in stock brought in by the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), UNICEF and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) while a mini laboratory to run tests for blood sugar, rapid malaria test were also in place to tackle such illnesses.
Other cases also treated in the camp included upper and lower respiratory infections.
Corroborating how healthy the camp is, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewale, who visited the displaced people in Makurdi, remarked that the health condition of the flood victims taking refuge at camp was quite satisfactory.
Adewale said the health needs of the flood victims at the camp were being met which was a reflection of the combined efforts and commitment of the Benue State Government and the Nigerian Air Force Medical Outpost at the camp.
The minister noted that his visit was to donate relief materials, including drugs and insecticidetreated nets and to further assess the health needs of the victims with a view to complementing the efforts of the state government and the Airforce. He assured of more support from the Federal Government in no distance time.
Meanwhile, some of the IDPs who spoke to our correspondent expressed appreciation that their health needs were being met without hitches.
One of them, Mrs. Phoebe Kwande, said, “We are getting the best of healthcare in this place.”