Boko Haram: Maiduguri Groans under IDP Influx
Boko Haram: Maiduguri Groans under IDP Influx
This Day, 21 Mar 2016
URL: http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/03/21/boko-haram-maiduguri-groans-under-idp-influx/
By Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Michael Olugbode
Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, is groaning from pressure on its housing, health facilities and other social facilities as a result of influx of persons displaced by Boko Haram crises, which has resulted in a sharp rise of over 150 per cent in its population, from one million to 2.5 million persons.
With a total land mass of 70,898 square kilometres, Borno is second to Niger State out of the 36 states in Nigeria. It is 20 times the size of Lagos.
Consultant, ENT Surgeon and Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Mala Bukar Sandabe, in the state said over 20 per cent of the 305 doctors employed by the federal and state governments medical facilities in the state have ‘systematically’ abandoned their duty posts under various legitimate excuses including sabbatical and leave of absence; private medical practice was as good as dead. There were 200 doctors at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), while 105 doctors were in the employ of the state government.
According to him, the normal health care system was over stretched, leading to a critical emergency situation when 21 out of the 27 general hospitals in each local government area of the state were displaced and many personnel in the hospitals relocated to Maiduguri.
“In these 21 local government areas, the insurgents destroyed hospitals, banks, police stations and the local government secretariats,” he said, resulting in an influx of patients, particularly those in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp which has put the hospitals in Maiduguri under serious pressure.
Sandabe cited the example of routine ante-natal visits by pregnant women. “At 7a.m.,” according to him, “you could notice over 200 women in all the hospitals, those who would come later would be turned back.
The accident and emergency wards are filled with patients with many of them now lying on the floor.”
All the nine public hospitals in Maiduguri which include the Specialist Hospital, Gen. Shuwa Specialist Hospital, Maryam Abacha Specialist Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital, Molai General Hospital (Leprosorium), Umaru Shehu Specialist Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital and the State Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital have been stretched to their limits according to Sandabe.
Painting a pathetic picture of private medical practice in Maiduguri, he said: “Right now, there are only 10 members of my association that are in private medical practice. Many of their hospitals were in the ‘no-go’ areas. Even when insurgency started to subside, their services have dwindled. They no longer have the number of capable personnel in their service.
“The curfew in the state has not helped private medical practitioners. They cannot admit patients. It is difficult to monitor patients under that condition. On many occasions, soldiers threatened to shoot ambulance drivers who convey patients and medical personnel. We had to adopt a system that required doctors on duty to stay all night. In a private hospital, with one doctor? That is not possible.”
Sandabe also disclosed that there was an emerging pattern of diseases which indicate that diarrhea and vomiting, psychological problems and kidney diseases are becoming prevalent in the state, particularly in the IDP camps. He said this could be linked to the sanitary condition in the IDP camps.
“Lack of water and fluids destroys the kidney. These people are forced to take drugs that are not prescribed by physicians. They eat anything they can find. At some point, they were not allowed to go out. And people were not allowed to bring anything to them. Most of these persons move by foot on a 60 kilometres journey from Bama to Maiduguri. Some of them died on the road. It is expected that they will suffer from dehydration and exhibit symptoms of schizophrenic disorder,” he stated.
Other noticeable ailments which Sandabe highlighted, included malaria, weakness, pain and typhoid.
Most homes in Maiduguri are spilling over with persons who fled other troubled local government areas in the state. Apart from the IDP camps, public spaces and uncompleted buildings have become home to the IDPs. At the Maiduguri Terminus of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), every available space was converted to makeshift homes.
Royalty is not also left out of the unfortunate housing situation. Of the eight traditional rulers in the state, only three have the comfort and good fortune of residing in their domain. They are the Shehu of Borno, the Emir of Biu and the Emir of Shani. The royal fathers from Gwoza, Bama, Askira and Guba have been forced to seek shelter outside their kingdom, it was also learnt.
The Deputy Chairman of the Borno State Land and House Dealers Association, Bunu Umara, confirmed a huge increase in the cost of residential accommodation in Maiduguri. A two-bedroom apartment which used to cost N150,000 per annum, now goes for N250,000; while a one bedroom has gone up from its previous cost of N80,000 to N150,000. “In the thickly populated areas, rent has witnessed a dramatic change from N20,000 to N50,000 per month,” he stated.
According to the state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Dr. Mohammed Bulama, the influx of persons into Maiduguri has presented a huge challenge, adding that: “There is no doubt that all these young people roaming about may be tempted to commit crime. That is a worrisome reality.”
Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, is groaning from pressure on its housing, health facilities and other social facilities as a result of influx of persons displaced by Boko Haram crises, which has resulted in a sharp rise of over 150 per cent in its population, from one million to 2.5 million persons.
With a total land mass of 70,898 square kilometres, Borno is second to Niger State out of the 36 states in Nigeria. It is 20 times the size of Lagos.
Consultant, ENT Surgeon and Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Mala Bukar Sandabe, in the state said over 20 per cent of the 305 doctors employed by the federal and state governments medical facilities in the state have ‘systematically’ abandoned their duty posts under various legitimate excuses including sabbatical and leave of absence; private medical practice was as good as dead. There were 200 doctors at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), while 105 doctors were in the employ of the state government.
According to him, the normal health care system was over stretched, leading to a critical emergency situation when 21 out of the 27 general hospitals in each local government area of the state were displaced and many personnel in the hospitals relocated to Maiduguri.
“In these 21 local government areas, the insurgents destroyed hospitals, banks, police stations and the local government secretariats,” he said, resulting in an influx of patients, particularly those in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp which has put the hospitals in Maiduguri under serious pressure.
Sandabe cited the example of routine ante-natal visits by pregnant women. “At 7a.m.,” according to him, “you could notice over 200 women in all the hospitals, those who would come later would be turned back.
The accident and emergency wards are filled with patients with many of them now lying on the floor.”
All the nine public hospitals in Maiduguri which include the Specialist Hospital, Gen. Shuwa Specialist Hospital, Maryam Abacha Specialist Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital, Molai General Hospital (Leprosorium), Umaru Shehu Specialist Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital and the State Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital have been stretched to their limits according to Sandabe.
Painting a pathetic picture of private medical practice in Maiduguri, he said: “Right now, there are only 10 members of my association that are in private medical practice. Many of their hospitals were in the ‘no-go’ areas. Even when insurgency started to subside, their services have dwindled. They no longer have the number of capable personnel in their service.
“The curfew in the state has not helped private medical practitioners. They cannot admit patients. It is difficult to monitor patients under that condition. On many occasions, soldiers threatened to shoot ambulance drivers who convey patients and medical personnel. We had to adopt a system that required doctors on duty to stay all night. In a private hospital, with one doctor? That is not possible.”
Sandabe also disclosed that there was an emerging pattern of diseases which indicate that diarrhea and vomiting, psychological problems and kidney diseases are becoming prevalent in the state, particularly in the IDP camps. He said this could be linked to the sanitary condition in the IDP camps.
“Lack of water and fluids destroys the kidney. These people are forced to take drugs that are not prescribed by physicians. They eat anything they can find. At some point, they were not allowed to go out. And people were not allowed to bring anything to them. Most of these persons move by foot on a 60 kilometres journey from Bama to Maiduguri. Some of them died on the road. It is expected that they will suffer from dehydration and exhibit symptoms of schizophrenic disorder,” he stated.
Other noticeable ailments which Sandabe highlighted, included malaria, weakness, pain and typhoid.
Most homes in Maiduguri are spilling over with persons who fled other troubled local government areas in the state. Apart from the IDP camps, public spaces and uncompleted buildings have become home to the IDPs. At the Maiduguri Terminus of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), every available space was converted to makeshift homes.
Royalty is not also left out of the unfortunate housing situation. Of the eight traditional rulers in the state, only three have the comfort and good fortune of residing in their domain. They are the Shehu of Borno, the Emir of Biu and the Emir of Shani. The royal fathers from Gwoza, Bama, Askira and Guba have been forced to seek shelter outside their kingdom, it was also learnt.
The Deputy Chairman of the Borno State Land and House Dealers Association, Bunu Umara, confirmed a huge increase in the cost of residential accommodation in Maiduguri. A two-bedroom apartment which used to cost N150,000 per annum, now goes for N250,000; while a one bedroom has gone up from its previous cost of N80,000 to N150,000. “In the thickly populated areas, rent has witnessed a dramatic change from N20,000 to N50,000 per month,” he stated.
According to the state Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Dr. Mohammed Bulama, the influx of persons into Maiduguri has presented a huge challenge, adding that: “There is no doubt that all these young people roaming about may be tempted to commit crime. That is a worrisome reality.”