The United States (U.S.) Government yesterday pledged a $1 million humanitarian assistance for flood victims in Nigeria.
The money, to be provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will allow local partners on the ground to provide emergency shelter assistance, relief commodities, and hygiene kits to promote safe and healthy practices amid the ongoing cholera outbreak.
It will also be a source of multipurpose cash assistance for people impacted by the devastating floods.
The U.S Consulate in Nigeria, which made this known in a statement, regretted the unusually heavy rainfall and resulting in flooding.
“We are filled with grief for the flood victims who have lost so much – livelihoods, homes, and even loved ones,” said U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard.
“The U.S. continues to stand with the people of Nigeria during this extremely difficult time,” Ambassador Leonard added.
The statement reads: “We are also concerned that standing floodwaters could increase the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, where cholera outbreaks were declared in August and September and at least 7,750 cases were recorded in 2022, 31 out of 36 states reported cholera cases.
“As experts expect heavy rainfall and flooding to continue through November, due in part to climate change and insufficient drainage infrastructure, USAID disaster experts will continue monitoring the situation in close coordination with humanitarian partners and the Government of Nigeria to assess needs and determine if additional assistance is required.”
In Anambra, the state government expressed fear over a possible outbreak of cholera and other infectious diseases following the flooding.
Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA), Dr. Chioma Ezenyimulu raised the concern at a one-day media engagement in Awka ahead of the forthcoming measles campaign.
Ezenyimulu, who was represented by Dr Placid Uliagbapusi, the Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, said that the campaign will begin on October 25 and end on November 2.
The ASPHCDA boss said that though the state had scheduled the measles vaccine campaign, the flood disaster in seven of the 21 local government areas had heightened fears of a possible outbreak of cholera and other diseases.
She explained that the measles vaccine campaign would be shifted in the seven local government areas where the impact of the flood disaster is high.
Also in Awka, the Anambra chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) said at least 600 flood victims benefitted from its free medical services.
The Chairman, Dr Jane Ezeonu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the medicare was conducted by a team of 13 medical doctors at an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in Umueri, Anambra East Local Government Area.
In Bayelsa, a former Commissioner for Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, appealed to Governor Douye Diri to approach the state assembly to increase the flood relief funds allocated to communities affected by the disaster in Ogbia Local Government Area.
The governor has already approved N450 million for relief to about one million displaced persons across the state’s eight councils.
A former Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mike Okiro, appealed for medical and agricultural support for victims of the flood disaster in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas of Imo State.
Okiro, who is the National Leader, Oguta/Ohaji/Egbemea Socio-economic Development Initiative, made the call when he visited flood-affected areas.
Some of the areas visited included Obiakpu, Ukwuagba, Ojiji, Oguta, Opuoma Abaezi, Egbema and Etekwuru, among several communities whose mainstay of economy are fishing and farming.
He called for a head count of students in the affected areas in a bid to assist them to return to school after eight months of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.
Similarly, Ijaw women in America raised the alarm over the worsening living conditions of flood victims in the Niger Delta.
The National President of the Ijaw Women of America (IWA), Mrs. Eunice Apreala, in a statement, lamented that “over three million people, mostly women and children, have been displaced! All their homes and crops have been submerged in water. Yet no state of the Federal Government has declared a state of emergency on this troubling development.
“I plead with all persons both local and foreign to come up with aids in support of our people. We are crying for help; we don’t want to lose one more life, every life is important and their destinies need to be fulfilled”.