There has been an outbreak of measles in some Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in Benue State.
Our correspondent learnt that about 60 children were down with measles at the Otese IDP camp, while other children were reportedly down with the sickness at the Bawa and Daudu camps, all in the Guma Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that most of the affected persons were children between the ages of five and above.
The Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, Emmanuel Shior, confirmed the outbreak but could not ascertain the number of the affected children, adding that the agency was collaborating with the state Ministry of Health and non-governmental organisations like Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and the International Committee of the Red Cross to address the outbreak.
“Yes, but the government, through the Ministry of Health, is on top of the situation; usually during hot seasons like this, we experience issues of measles, so the ministry is collaborating with SEMA, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and the ICRC, which are supporting us in the area of WASH. So, we are addressing the concern,” Shior stated.
The Benue Project Coordinator, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), Mitch Rhyner, confirmed that the organisation had continued to render support to vulnerable people, particularly, displaced persons in IDP camps in the state, including children down with measles.
Rhyner disclosed this to our correspondent on Sunday during the exhibition of the group’s activities held at the City Bay Park in Makurdi to celebrate the organisation’s 50 years of humanitarian services.
He explained that the organisation had played a vital role in Benue State since the displacement of people after the herders’ attack in 2018.
Rhyner stated, “Since then, we’ve conducted activities in four other LGAs, providing primary healthcare to some thousands of patients. We’ve drilled boreholes, conducted a cholera response, established shelters, and delivered food and non-food items.
“We’re currently helping the state Ministry of Health to respond to a measles outbreak. We’ve enjoyed partnership with the Ministry of Health, State Emergency Management Agency and other humanitarian and state organisations during these activities.”
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