Photos: Malnourished children and adults in Bama get urgent medical treatment

Over 23,000 bags of assorted food items and 2,155 bags of shelter supplies have been provided by different Federal Government agencies to Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in the North East as part of on-going initiatives at ameliorating the plight of IDPs in areas ravaged by insurgency.

Under the coordinated Federal intervention programme, both the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), are leading the humanitarian aid with the distribution of 10, 300 bags of assorted grains and cereals towards the feeding of over 2 million persons scattered across the region.

In the monthly Federal Intervention Report that shows the level of supplies in the month of July and compiled by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the North East, Dr. Mariam Masha, PINE supplied over 10,300 bags of food items such as rice, millet, maize, guinea corn, salt, vegetable oil, beans, and noodles to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi States. Besides, NEMA also supplied Borno State with 13,200 bags of food items.

The report indicated that PINE through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation distributed 2,155 assorted shelter materials in nine (9) different Local Government Areas of Borno State which includes Bama, Damboa, Bakacy, Dikwa, Monguno, Mafa, Jere, Banki and Gwoza.

The Federal Government according to the report responded swiftly to the reported case of malnutrition in Bama camp, as severely malnourished children and adults have been moved from Bama to Maiduguri for comprehensive medical treatment.
Government has also deployed medical teams from the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigerian Airforce to assist in support mission for nutrition emergency response to those in need.

In addition, the government of Borno state is converting Islamiya School in Bama to a hospital which will be equipped by the Nigeria Airforce to achieve quick comprehensive treatment of victims.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, in consolidating FG intervention in the North East ordered the establishment of the Presidential Committee on North East Interventions, PCNI. The Committee chaired by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma is responsible for rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery of the North East.

Equally, Government has also constituted an Inter-ministerial Technical Working Group to facilitate an effective humanitarian assistance. The Group is to expedite waivers and technical assistance by donors providing humanitarian aid in North East.

Members of the Group include the Office of the Vice President, Office of the National Security Adviser, NEMA, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Budget & National Planning, Finance, Nigeria Customs and Immigration.

The Federal Government continues to assess the need and develop effective ways of addressing them with the active collaboration of local, national and international agencies including the United Nations system. The Buhari presidency will neither relent nor leave any stone unturned in ensuring that our people in the North East are provided with the assistance, help and support needed to address the different fallouts and impact of the insurgency that has ravaged the region for years.

‘Laolu Akande
 Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity)
 Office of the Vice President