IDP Camp
The Benue State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has initiated a health outreach program to provide essential medical services to more than 13,605 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Mega IDP Camp in Mbayongo, Makurdi Local Government Area (LGA).
The intervention was set in motion following a visit by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Mr. Aondowase Kunde, alongside key stakeholders, including his Permanent Secretary, Sir James Iorpuu, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Health Care Board (BSPHCB), Mrs. Grace Wende, and UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Ifeyinwa Anyanyo. The delegation engaged with camp management to formally introduce the outreach initiative and discuss logistical arrangements.
A critical part of the discussion centered on identifying a suitable location for the clinic structure, ensuring that IDPs have unhindered access to free and high-quality healthcare services. UNICEF requested the state government to provide the physical structure for the outreach while also urging authorities to enhance the supply of medicines, medical consumables, and essential healthcare commodities to ensure an effective response.
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“UNICEF remains committed to working with the state to strengthen Benue’s health humanitarian coordination response,” Dr. Anyanyo emphasized.
In response, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) assured that a dedicated space for the clinic would be provided within a week. Additionally, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs pledged to facilitate the release of donated medicines from state reserves to support the outreach efforts.
Mrs. Wende reaffirmed BSPHCB’s readiness to offer technical assistance, ensuring that available medical supplies are properly sorted and allocated to the outreach teams. The team further directed the health focal persons from SEMA and UNICEF to conduct an inventory of available drugs, after which the necessary handover processes would be carried out by relevant government ministries and agencies.
This initiative marks a significant step in addressing the healthcare needs of displaced persons in Benue State, reinforcing the government’s commitment to humanitarian health interventions in collaboration with international partners.
