Agency to tackle malnutrition in IDP camps in Borno

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), says it has taken proactive steps to address malnutrition among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno.

NEMA’s North East Coordinator, Malam Muhammad Kanar, told newsmen in Maiduguri on Monday that this was to ensure quick recovery of the affected IDPs especially children.

"We are taking proactive steps on the issue of malnourished IDPs rescued from Boko Haram’s captivity. This is because most of them are malnourished and in poor state of health.

"We have therefore made special arrangement towards providing immediate treatment for them as they arrive in the IDP camps.

He attributed the rise in the cases of malnutrition in IDP camps to continuous rescue of individuals by the military from suspected Boko Haram enclaves.

"We have started providing these items for prompt treatment of malnutrition in camps; we also monitor compliance by parents to ensure that they utilized the items.

"But the problem is that more and more people are being rescued by the military on daily basis, with similar problems'', Kanar said.

He said NEMA had also made arrangement to deploy some health experts to satellite IDP camps to help provide the needed health care services for the displaced persons.

"We have made arrangement to send some health workers to the satellite IDP camps to offer the needed help.

"I am happy to say that some doctors have also offered to join us to provide the care for the IDPs in the camps'', Kanar said.