Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has convened a meeting with UN
agencies, Governments and Stakeholders to protect Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) against coronavirus and camps fire outbreaks.
The meeting, according to him, was to adopt a “response plan on how to
protect” IDPs from the deadly virus and fire outbreaks from over dozen
IDP camps.
Zulum, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Babagana Wakil
disclosed this Thursday at the Government House, Maiduguri.
He said that the joint meeting was to adopt an emergency ‘response
plan’ on IDPs and COVID-19, which is yet to be recorded in the state.
Yesterday’s meeting, was attended by senior officials of the World
Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, UN-OCHA, international
non-governmental Organizations (iNGOs) involved in humanitarian
interventions.
Representatives of the Maiduguri International Airport (MIA), Nigerian
Immigration Service (NIS), Borno State Emergency Management Agency
(SEMA) and the State’s Ministries of Health, Education, Transport and
Local Government and Emirate Affairs also attended the response plan
meeting.
Dr. Wakil, who led the three-hour meeting said that the adopted
response plan on IDPs and COVID-19 will be presented to Zulum today
(Thursday).
Special Adviser on Public Relations and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau,
also disclosed that Borno’s commissioner of health, Dr. Salisu
Kwayabura, during the meeting, presented a detailed medical response
plan prepared by his ministry.
“The presented medical response; was in collaboration with agencies of
the UN that specialize in public health management,” he said.
According to him, the response plan identified health preventive
measures already in place at the Maiduguri international airport.
He added that those in place are to secure densely populated camps
occupied by IDPs, students in public schools and other parts of the
state.
He said the response plan however; agreed not to take measures that
will create panic among the people.
While speaking on adopted response plan, he said some of the measures
were adopted by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian affairs
to enforce strict pandemic control measures on all foreign
humanitarian workers.
He said this is in line with the travel ban placed by the Nigerian
government as well as international best practices normally observed
by all UN affiliates.
The response plan also identified measures in all border communities
across Borno State where persons coming into Nigeria through land
boarders are subjected to medical screening.
The plan also identified ways to engage religious and traditional
bodies in aggressive public enlightenment on some control measures
that will be announced during the week.
