Buhari furious over deaths of malnourished IDPs in Borno

By Victoria Ojeme, with Agency reports
ANGERED by the reported cases of malnourished children and dying Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in government camps in Borno State, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday met with top officials of the state government, seeking explanation into the issue.
The president sought explanations following the recent statement and photographs released by Doctors Without Borders- (Médecins Sans Frontières), MSF, showing malnourished persons in the camps.
This came as Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole directed that a team proceeded to Borno State following report that eight children were dying daily from malnutrition in the state.
Officials of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on Sunday left Maiduguri ahead of the meeting with the president at the Aso Villa.
President Buhari was said to be angry at reports that persons displaced by the Boko Haram, currently seeking refuge at government-owned camps, have been dying of malnutrition despite the billions of naira and materials provided by the federal, state governments, non-governmental organisations and private individuals to assist the displaced persons.
Last week, the MSF issued a statement, saying, about 24,000 IDPs were in dire health situation with at least 30 people, mostly children dying every day.
Two weeks ago, the Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, paid a visit to Bama camp upon receiving reports that hundreds of malnourished persons recently rescued from Boko Haram captivity were dying in a camp in Bama, 75 kilometre from Maiduguri, the state capital.
Shettima ordered the relocation of 61 heavily underfed children to the intensive care unit of the Umaru Shehu Ultramodern Hospital in Maiduguri, where they are currently being treated.
Another set of over 400 persons with lesser cases of malnourishment were also moved out of the camp to a special care unit for proper feeding and medication.
But before the Governor’s visit to Bama, dozens of the IDPs had died of hunger-induced ailments, an official said.
Meanwhile, Professor Isaac Adewole directed an emergency team to Borno State Borno State following report that eight children were dying daily from malnutrition in that state
Adewole gave the directive to the Director-General of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr Abdusalami Nasidi on the inaugural meeting of the governing Board of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Disease Control yesterday in Abuja.
Prof Adewole said “NCDC needs to as a matter of urgency, dispatch a rapid emergency team to Borno state. There is a nutritional emergency in Borno State where it is been reported that eight children stand the risk of dying every day if nothing is done to arrest the situation. The President, Gen Muhammad Buhari has given a directive and so this is my first assignment to you. There is need to dispatch an emergency team to Borno State.”