Executive Secretary (ES), Benue State Primary HealthCare Board (BSPHCB), Mrs. Grace Ashi Wende, has stated that about 49 child births have been registered at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), camp, at the International market, housing victims of the Yelwata attack, in the last one month.
The Executive Secretary, who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen during the Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) at the camp also noted that at the moment while there were still about 380 pregnant women at the camp that were near childbirth, she noted that those who attended AnteNatal Care (ANC) within the period were about 490 women.
Wende, who confirmed these issues, also noted that the Clinic at the IDP camp has recorded a beehive of activity, including a high rate of attendance from IDPs of all age range and sexes, who were at the clinic for consultation and other services.
She appreciated the Benue State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and other partners of the state, among them UNICEF as well as other UN agencies, that had made it possible and for the construction of a borehole and the provision of a 3HP, hybrid submersible pump that was being installed at the facility, with the support of UNICEF.
During the visit to the facility, Saturday INDEPENDENT, observed that there was an ongoing laying of pipes for the reticulation of water from the borehole in the camp. Closely related is that BENSESA was also at hand to evacuate waste from the large refuse buckets.
She also pointed out that Save the Children International was able to provide items for hygiene to the camp, to boost the WASH activities.
Wende explained that “The 49th baby has safely been delivered at the Ultramodern Market IDP camp clinic.
Kudos to the multidisciplinary health care team through the collaborative effort of Benue State Ministry of Health (SMOH)), SPHCB, UNICEF, and other UN agencies and partners.
“We have about 2,336 households; 5,294 individuals that are taking refuge at the facility, 380 pregnant women and 2,536 children in the Makurdi IDP camp,” she stated.
“A total consultation at the International market camp, from 16th June, 2015 to 14th July, 2025, stood at 5,511, including 2,980 adults, out of which 339 were male, while 2,641 of the patients were female.
“There were also a total number of 496 adolescents, ranging from 10 to 19 years, that came for consultation; out of this number, 192 of them were male, while 304 of them were female. Others that attended the clinic were about 2,030 children that were between ages 0 to 9 years.”
“However, 490 women and six others with disabilities came for AnteNatal Care services; 27 of them delivered at the clinic, and 66 of them were referred to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) for further checks,” she said.
Additionally, the Executive Secretary, said reports from BSUTH, as at 28th July, 2025, indicate that “Out of a total of 44 patients that were admitted at the facility, none have so far been discharged,” Wende observed.
In a related development, the Reporting officer, at the camp, Dr. Moses Chiahemba, who is in charge of providing Mental Health hygiene and Psycho-social support, explained that cumulatively, he and his team were able to see about 775 patients within the period. (Daily Independent)
