Maiduguri Flood: MSF Raises Alarm on Possible Outbreak of Diseases

By Bashir Hassan Abubakar

Against the background of the recent flooding that raveged large part of Maiduguri metropolis in Borno State, Nigeria and the resultant displacement of persons affected by it, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)  has raised a red flag about the significant risk of malaria and waterborne diseases, including cholera. There is also fear that the crisis could increase the levels of malnutrition in the area.

MSF is therefore calling  for urgent additional support, especially in terms of water, sanitation, and medical care, to protect people already heavily impacted by long-term insecurity and unprecedented levels of malnutrition.

It could be recalled that on 10 September, heavy rain caused the Alau Dam in Borno State to overflow, leading to major floods in and around the city of Maiduguri. The deluge heavily impacted houses, markets, fields, livestock, and several health facilities.

According to Borno State authorities, close to 400,000 people have been registered in 30 makeshift displacement sites.  Most of the sites are schools with too few latrines and a lack of safe drinking water.

A press release by MSF issued to newsmen by Abdulkareem Yakubu, Field Communication Officer of MSF (Doctors Without Border) , quoted Dr Issaley Abdel Kader MSF Head of mission in Nigeria as saying, “We are very concerned about the precarious living conditions and the potential outbreaks of cholera and malaria”.

“The number of children affected by malaria and acute watery diarrhoea had already started to increase before the flooding, and we have seen some with clinical signs of cholera since the floods. We are afraid that the number of cases will rise without the increase of medical and humanitarian support, especially regarding water, sanitation and hygiene.”

The press statement said that, last week, MSF teams went to several displacement sites (Galtimari, Yerwa, Ali Sheriff, Vocational Enterprise Institute, Teachers Village) to assess people’s needs and start the provision of essential services such as access to water through water-trucking and water tanks, the installation and repair of latrines, and the distribution of mosquito nets.

It further disclosed that the MSF teams are also running outpatient consultations in the sites, including mental health support, and referring critical patients to the facilities we support. Given the risks posed by malaria and cholera, MSF is also planning to expand the paediatric facility it supports by 100 beds, to meet the demand of the likely increase in malaria cases. Teams have begun setting up a cholera treatment centre that can be increased to a 100-bed capacity, if needed.

“All parties involved in the humanitarian response must continue providing assistance to the people affected by the floods as long as it will be necessary and ensure immediate and easy access to medical care for those who need it. The closure of most sites means that many will find themselves in a very vulnerable situation. For those remaining in the sites, prompt action must be taken to swiftly improve hygiene conditions, including access to latrines, safe water and mosquito nets”, says Dr. Issaley.

Support for communities won’t just be needed at the new displacement sites. Well before the flooding, the entire population of Maiduguri was already facing huge challenges, including one of the worst malnutrition crises recorded in northeast Nigeria. In the past months, hundreds of severely malnourished children were admitted every week in the MSF nutritional care hospital.

“Admissions to the nutritional facilities had just started to reduce when the flooding occurred. With markets and businesses heavily impacted, the harvest damaged and livestock washed away, there is huge concern that the downward trend will reverse and admissions start to rise again”, says Dr. Ashok Shrirang Sankpal, deputy medical coordinator MSF Nigeria.

According to the press release, this is the second time in just a few weeks’ time MSF has had to launch emergency responses linked to flooding in northern Nigeria. In August in Gummi, Zamfara state, homes and farms were destroyed and thousands left newly displaced by severe flooding. Like Maiduguri, people in this area already face significant challenges, including malnutrition, persistent insecurity and lack of access to healthcare. MSF teams have been supporting communities in Gummi over the last few weeks by delivering clean drinking water, repairing boreholes and delivering kits which include plastic sheets for temporary shelter and mosquito nets.