*urges govt to provide water, quantity healthcare to address maternal mortality at IDP camps
By Michael Oche
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwifes (NANNM) has called on government at all level to provide more sanitation and healthcare facilities at Internally Displaced Persons camps across the country.
The nurses union made the call during an advocacy visit to the Wasa IDP camp as part of activities to commemorate the 2022 International Day of the Midwife.
Michael Nnachi, NANNM president while speaking to journalists at the Wasa IDP camp, said the Association decided to visit the camp to share some medical supplies, carry out health checks on the IDPs and also educate them on reproductive health.
He however, explained that from the feedback they received from the IDPs, there is need for government to improve access to water, healthcare and sanitation at the camp.
He said, “Water is a problem here, they have made it clear that the borehole here is not serving them. On the aspect of healthcare, I’m told that there is a facility here but there are not drugs, neither are there people working there.
“If you look at the environment, it actually needs the attention of government. We will be happy if the government can intervene, make available schools and improve on the available health Centre and employ people there. And they also need to have water, that is very important.”
Also, Comrade Blessing Israel Blessing, the 2nd national vice president of NANNM, told newsmen that there is need for government to employ more nurses and health workers and deploy them to the various IDP camps to educate them on reproductive health.
She said, “The advocacy we came to this IDP camp to really do is to celebrate the International Day of the Midwife. What we are seeing is that the people in the community are in need of nurses and Midwifes to take care of their needs.”
She explained that Goal 3 of the SDGs calls for healthcare services to be available for all, adding that for Nigeria to achieve this, government must employ more nurses and health workers and deploy them to the communities.
According to her, with more nurses deployed to the IDPs, the rate of maternal deaths will be reduced
She said, “If we are able to get more Midwifes, more nurses, they will be able to educate them about family planning that is good for them.
“We are also here to give health education about preventing diseases and also how to prevent unwanted pregnancy.”
