In BornoOver 500 cases of diarrhoea and vomiting recorded in IDP camps

The Borno Ministry of Health on Friday said that over 500 cases of Diarrhea and vomiting had been recorded in 22 Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps in the state capital.

The Director Medical Response and Humanitarian Services, Dr Muhammad Guluze, who stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, however said that no death had been recorded so far.

According to him, about 320 of those affected are receiving treatment in about 18 health facilities within the state capital.

He said that the Ministry had already dispatched a rapid response team of medical personnel to the affected centres to address the problem.

Guluze attributed the outbreak of the diseases to poor personal hygiene on the part of the IDPs as well as lack of environmental sanitation in the camps.

He lamented that challenges were being faced on a daily basis as a result of the increase in IDPs trooping into the camps from some of the towns liberated by the military.

"The camps are over-stretched but we are working with other partners, which include NEMA, WHO, UNICEF, BOSEPA and SEMA, to provide conducive, healthy and hygienic environment for the IDPs,” he said.