UNICEF Identifies 3,000 Children Separated from Parents in Bama IDP Camp

•   Seeing an average of 140 outpatients daily

By Kasim Sumaina in  Abuja
 

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that it had 3000 children separated from their families at the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Bama, Borno State.

UNICEF, in a statement made available to Journalists on Friday in Abuja revealed that it had started to register the children with the aim of trying to trace their families.

According to the statement signed by its Chief of Communication, Doune Porter, “We have provided health and nutrition support for approximately 19,000 people and since May, UNICEF and Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency have had a permanent primary health care presence in Bama.

“Primarily, in the IDP camp in the town that houses 25,000 people who have been displaced by the conflict, of these, 15,000 are children. The town of Bama has been accessible to humanitarian assistance since March 2016 and we are working with partners on ground as response to the humanitarian situation in Bama, Borno State.

“We are seeing an average of 140 outpatients a day, providing treatment primarily for malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhea; screening for malnutrition and treating severely malnourished children, as well as providing Vitamin A, micro-nutrient supplements and de-worming tablets”

According to her, “Most recent data available from the team on the ground, which does not have regular means of communication show that during the period 3 April – 31 May 2016, 323 children were admitted for Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), an average of six new cases per day.

“We have also identified 3000 children who have become separated from their families and have started to register children with the aim of trying to trace their families.

“We have repaired and upgraded five boreholes in Bama, providing 10-12 litres of water per day per person in the IDP camp. In the following days, construction work is due to begin on 150 latrines,” said Porter.