Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in two IDP camps in Plateau have appealed to the State Government, philanthropists and medical organisations to help them with healthcare services.
The leaders of the IDPs made the appeal on Monday in Jos when a group of Medical Laboratory Scientists, under the auspices of G50, donated some relief items at the Geo-Science IDPs camp and the COCIN IDPs camp at Heipang in Jos South Local Government Area.
Mr Francis Chunk, the Camp Leader at the Geo-Science Camp at Anguldi near Bukuru-Jos, complained that most persons in the camp had various health challenges, saying there is an urgent need to address their health needs.
Chunk said that they lacked the financial resources to get medical care outside their camp except it was an issue of “life and death”.
Presenting the items, Mr Tanimu Umar, the Team Leader of G50 delegation, said that the donations were meant to meet their personal hygiene needs, especially women and infants in the camp.
Umar listed the items to include sanitary towels, diapers and female panties.
He assured the IDPs of medical assistance as the group consists of medical laboratory scientists.
Similarly, Mr Solomon Chollom, a member of the G50 group and the Chairman of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom chapter, said the association would set up a temporary laboratory in the camp.
He said that the make-shift laboratory would serve as a diagnostic centre to ensure that the IDPs are treated appropriately based on tests carried out.
Also, the Camp Leader at COCIN Heipang, Mr Iliya Makau, told the donors that the camp had 2,578 people most of whom needed medical intervention in view of their various health challenges.
Both camp leaders thanked the group for its donation that is aimed at providing them with succour at the critical time of their needs
Chollom reiterated his earlier pledge that a make-shift laboratory would be provided to ensure that the IDPs access medical care in camp.
One of the displaced persons, Mrs Sarah Bitrus, expressed gratitude to the group for their intervention.
She, however, restated the need for healthcare delivery as she is an expectant mother in need of frequent medical checks.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 12,000 IDPs are residing in nine camps in Jos South, Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Mangu Local Government Areas following recent communal clashes in the state.
