Plateau first lady celebrates birthday with IDPs

Mrs. Regina Lalong, wife of Plateau Governor, on Wednesday, visited some camps hosting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in the state, as part of activities to mark her birthday which fell on Tuesday.

Lalong, who visited camps located at Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bassa Local Governments, doled out a total of N2 million cash and distributed food items worth N8 million to the children.

Lalong’s Foundation – Support Women Initiatives to Transform Children (SWITCH), also offered free medical care to the IDPs, as part of her kind gestures to mark the day.

She said that the items shared to the IDPS were procured in collaboration with a sister NGO, Tina Bawa International Medical Mission.

Explaining her action, the governor’s wife said that she chose to celebrate her birthday with children at the IDPs camps because they needed special love and attention.

“They (children) are living outside their abode and there is always the need to make them feel at home.

“I have always celebrated my birthdays with children at the IDPs’ camp; it gives me great fulfillment,’’ she said.

Lalong said that government was making collective efforts to reintegrate IDPs into the society, and declared that the younger ones were a major consideration in such efforts to enable them to grow into normal lives.

The Governor’s wife promised to give more attention to the needs of IDPs and appealed to individuals and organizations to assist them with food items, medical care and educational facilities.

Mrs. Tina Bawa, the founder of Tina Bawa International Medical Mission, in her remarks, commended the governor’s wife for remembering to celebrate her day with the less privileged.

“Many privileged Nigerians would have opted for parties to enjoy their day, but you preferred to be with the poor. This is good,” she said.

Dr. David Belin, a member of the free medical care team, who said that the services would be rendered for many days, explained that the gesture was premised on the need to assist the most vulnerable members of the society.

He said that special attention was being paid to testing and attending to people with diseases like hepatitis B and malaria.

Other diseases included skin infection and depression, he said.

He said that the team would offer treatments appropriately and make referrals, where necessary.

Among food items distributed to the IDPs were bags of rice, cartons of noodles, blankets and provisions.