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Borno State Governor Requesting More Medical Assistance

The newly redeployed Brigade Commander in Bama town, Col. AG Laka, explained that over 25,000 civilians in Bama town are urgently in need of shelter, water and healthcare services.

The Borno State government has urged medics to address the healthcare crisis affecting over 25,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in need of medical attention residing in Bama town.

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Governor Kashim Shettima made this appeal when he led teams of United Nations representatives on a visit to Bama town on Tuesday in Bama Local Government Area (LGA), Borno State.

The military recaptured Bama town, the second largest town in Borno State, almost a year ago after Boko Haram insurgents seized the town on September 1, 2014. Hundreds of people were reported killed in the violence that destroyed the ancient town.

Mr. Shettima said that the State government needs to devise a means to provide medical services to IDPs. He urged the local government workers to return to Bama town to provide health services to IDPs, threatening to withhold their salaries if they fail to do so.

The newly redeployed Brigade Commander in Bama town, Col. AG Laka, explained that over 25,000 civilians in Bama town are urgently in need of shelter, water and healthcare services.

“Sir, we have three challenges. As you aware, our job is to provide security, but there were no health workers at the camp to render such services to the IDPs. The second challenge is lack of water, and the third is lack of shelter for the IDPs," Col. Laka told the governor.

While responding, Mr. Shettima said, “Within two days the Commissioner of Health shoud mobilize 30 medical doctors to go to Bama. All health workers in Bama LGA will not be paid until they go back to Bama because they cannot stay in Maiduguri and collect their salaries without working.”

The governor stated that he is working with the UN to help resolve the crisis and is seeking assistance from donor agencies.

"UN Secretariat Assistant and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel Region, Mr. Toby Lanzer, and his team were in Bama to see things for themselves. I also want to appeal to donor agencies to come to our aid because almost the whole town was destroyed,” Mr. Shettima disclosed.

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PUBLIC HEALTH