4 flood displaced persons die at shelter

JETHRO IBILEKE/Benin

One of the refuge camps for displaced flood victims in Edo State was on Tuesday thrown into mourning following the death of four victims of the flood taking shelter in the camp.

One of the dead victims, simply identified as Alhaji Bila, slumped and died in the presence of the national President of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele who was at the camp located at Ekperi Grammar school,Ughepe Azukhalu,in Etsako Central local council area of the state to distribute relief efforts including drugs and other medical support services where provided by the NMA to the displaced persons.

The death of Alhaji Bila makes the fourth in the camp.

Dr. Osahon Enabulale, called on the federal government and Nigerians to be more proactive in disaster management as a way of reducing the risk associated with flood and other natural disasters, and to forestall future occurrence.

Enabulele said, their prompt visit to the rehabilitation camps was in support of the federal government’s effort at bringing relief to victims of the flood that sacked over 30 communities in Edo State.

Enabulele who was accompanied by the chairman Edo state chapter of NMA, Dr. Emmanuel Ighadaro, explained that the NMA is visiting affected states and providing victims with medical consumables which include drugs worth millions of naira, bottled water and insect repellents to cater for all especially children and women whom they identified as the most vulnerable to any epidemic outbreak as well as malaria.

“All those who have been affected, are advised to go to the health camps where a lot of educational section and other counseling section are being organized to ensure that they receive quality information on how to protect themselves and get treated. We at all level must be able to take proactive measures to prevent further disaster, because what we are seeing now may just be tip of the ice-berg.

“We are going from state affected nation wide by the flood disaster, and at the end of this exercise, we hope to have a fuller report to be in a better position to counsel the government and advise Nigerians and also make our modest contributions towards preventing future occurrence,” the NMA president said.

Some of the rehabilitation camp accommodating hundred of thousands displaced flood victim visited include Communities of Osomhegbe, Ofokpo, Agbabu, Iyewa and Ekperi all in Etsako East and Etsako Central local council areas of the state.