UNICEF provides support to Borno IDPs

UNICEF says it assisted internally displaced persons in Dolari camp Maiduguri, Borno, with basic life needs between April and May, a report released by the fund on Monday in Abuja.

Jean Gough, Country Representative of UNICEF, in the report recognised that Dolari camp had a population as high as 15,000 persons and suffered lack of health facilities, malnutrition and basic education.

“The nutrition status of children and women is particularly poor,’’ said the report.

it added that five per cent of children under-five suffer acute malnutrition and 15 per cent from moderate malnutrition.

“Food assistance in the camp is unreliable and of poor nutritional quality, and there are few actors in the camp to provide nutritional services,” it said.

The report noted that malnutrition was an emergency that needed to be tackled to ensure that children born in the camp were fed well.

It further added that nutrition to children especially those under the age of five was very important, adding that healthy feeding could engender the proper development of the cognitive memory of the child.

UNICEF also conducted a joint WASH assessment to identify needs and gaps in the response to Dolari camp, and it found that each person in the camp was only entitled to eight litres of water per day.

According to the report, the fund further found out that each toilet in the camp was used by a minimum of 100 persons in a day.

In addition, the Country Representative said that 3,600 households in the camp were assessed and a total of 4,737 children, comprising 2,293 boys and 2,444 girls, were evaluated to need basic education.

According to the report, UNICEF had conducted several immediate interventions in the camp to ensure that the displaced persons were provided with a temporary succour.

“UNICEF with the State Ministry of Health has screened 2,826 children under five, 164 admitted into therapeutic feeding programme run out of camp clinic with 37 discharged as cured.

“UNICEF also developed referral pathways within the state and ensuring that the list of centres for health facilities was provided in camp clinics in case of children with severe emergency situations,” it said.

To relieve the camp of the burden of poor sanitation and access to portable water, “UNICEF provided fuel for the existing motorised water supply system accessed by 5,000 IDPs.

“There was provision of chlorine for the chlorination of water assessed by the estimated 15,000 persons in the camp.

“There is an ongoing construction of two solar powered water supply systems and latrines with shelter that would benefit the IDPs.

“UNICEF in partnership with other stakeholders had distributed dignity kits to about 1,800 households in the camp,’’ it said.

In supporting the educational need to children in Dolari camp, Gough said that UNICEF had aided with temporary learning tents and other materials that will accord the children a friendly environment.

“UNICEF had provided instructive materials to State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for the 4,737 children registered and is also supporting them with transportation to and fro school amidst the security challenges.

“We established temporary learning space for children between the ages of three to five.

“There is an ongoing training of teachers in the state for instructive and classroom management, peace building and conflict resolution, life skills and psycho-social support delivery at classroom level,” it said.

According to the report, UNICEF had reached 3,752 children with psycho-social support activities which were carried out by 60 trained community volunteers.

The report further said that the fund was working with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and Save the Children to start the process of identification and support of other children at risk.

(NAN)