NEMA distributes delivery kits to 410 pregnant women

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, on Thursday distributed delivery kits to 410 pregnant women in internally displaced camps in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Some of the women who received the gift items are those due for delivery between August and September.

Each pregnant woman received one kit that contained wax print, set of feeding bottles, baby mattress, baby blanket and baby net. Others are baby bag, milk for the mother, cocoa drink for the mother, diapers, basket, towel and baby soap.

The Director General of NEMA, Sani Sidi, during the distribution, said Borno State has been the worst hit by insurgents in the history of Nigeria. He said the attack by insurgents has led to the establishment of 23 internally displaced persons’ camps in the state.

Mr. Sidi said that with the state government’s approval, two additional camps would be established to accommodate the 12,000 state indigenes repatriated from Republic of Cameroun.

“In all the camps in the state, 60 per cent of the IDPs are women and children classified as vulnerable and needing more support,” he said. “As a result, 410 pregnant women were selected out of 1980 identified pregnant women in 13 female IDP camps in Maiduguri.”

Also speaking, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, said reproductive health of women is vital and of great importance.

He thanked the emergency agency for the support given to the people of Borno and the pregnant women in the state.

The United Nations’ Resident Coordinator, Douda Toure, also commended NEMA for providing for the vulnerable people.

Mr. Toure appealed for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the communities for the people to go back to their normal lives.