ABUJA – The Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on North East, Senator Shehu Sani has applauded the Federal Ministry of Health over its nutrition interventions in terror-ravaged Borno State saying the interventions “are being responsive to the need of the people at the Internally Displaced Persons Camps (IDPs)” in the state.
The lawmaker spoke during a review of Mid-term Report of Health Nutrition Emergency Response Meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, according to a release made available to Nigeria Health Online by the Director, Media and Public Relations in the ministry Mrs Boade Akinola.
The ministry had launched Health Nutrition Emergency Response to help millions of people affected by activities of terrorists in the northeast.
Sen. Sani said government’s programme had made tangible impact on the lives of the people in the area of health nutrition response.
He applauded the Federal Ministry of Health for putting in place a proper roadmap of its activities in Borno state more than other government agencies while also commending the minister and his team “for the positive interventions.”
In his response, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said that the health ministry would fast track its activities in Borno State for betterment of the citizens.
“Prof. Adewole said that there was need for better collaboration with the National Assembly towards achieving successes in the Northeast.
“He expressed worry over the frequent treatment of diarrhoea at the IDPs camps which he said was as a result of poor environmental sanitation and poor toilet facilities, adding that he would contact the ministers of Water Resources and Environment to ensure that there is conducive environment and access to clean water for the people,” the release disclosed.
Earlier, the Director, Special Duties in the Ministry of Health, Dr (Mrs), Ngozi Anazodoh, expressed the need for extension and expansion of the Health and Nutrition Emergency Response Plan in Borno State.
She further said that there was need to increase partnership and collaboration between Federal Government’s agencies, State Government, international donors and other relevant stakeholders in the health sector.
In his remarks, the WHO Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr.Wondimagegnehu Alemu said that the organisation would continue to provide technical and financial support to Borno state through health partners, while also assisting in clinical services in the IDPs camp.