The Country representative of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr.
Walter Kazadi Mulombo has said that coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic;
has compounded grade 3 health emergency operations.
Mulombo raised that alarm Saturday; in a statement in Maiduguri; while
reviewing the 9th Joint Operations of WHO health emergency response
programme last week, the Borno state capital.
While lamenting COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts, he said: “The
operational environment in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states, is
characterized by rising insecurity, driving waves of new
displacements, deepening food insecurity and malnutrition.
“The situation, is also compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and
therefore obligates WHO to maintain the grade 3 health emergency in
order to sustain its current level of operations in region.”
According to him, WHO is committed to continue provide the urgently
needed leadership and coordination of the health sector partners to
provide healthcare services to people in BAY states.
He said the Joint Operations Review of UN health emergency operations;
has resolved to maintain grading of the humanitarian health emergency
declared in 2016.
“We’ve graded the emergency at grade 3; owing to its severity and
impact on public health,” he said, noting that it has significantly
reduced access to basic health services.
“It also renders the population vulnerable to disease outbreaks,
malnutrition, injuries and mental health among the victims living in
camps and host communities.”
On operations review outcomes, he said: “The review concluded that
risks for negative impact on health remained very high and have been
further compounded by the country-wide ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
“The capacity of State Governments and supporting partners to mitigate
the risks or respond to the health emergencies; has been affected by
recent reduction in national and foreign assistance funding.”
WHO’s health emergency expert, Dr. Jorge Castilla also explained that
the protracted nature of the crisis in the Northeast and continued
attacks on healthcare facilities and workers continue to decrease
access to healthcare delivery services.
He therefore, said that the over a decade insurgency in region; has
resulted in the deterioration of healthcare services, malnutrition.
He noted that it has also reduced the coping mechanism for even
populations in relatively more secure locations.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state at the joint health operations
review, reaffirmed the state’s confidence in the work of WHO in the
state.
“WHO would help the State to mobilize all health sector partners to
support the provision of healthcare services in line with the State’s
plans across Borno.
“Our plans include resettlement of over 1.7 million Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their original homes or alternative
safe locations.”
The Joint Operational Review is an internal bi-annual exercise of WHO
to review the organization’s health emergency programme in the
north-east Nigeria.
The review was to improve the current healthcare delivery standards
and developing the roadmap for future interventions.
