ABUJA BASED NOON GOVERNMENTAL BODY FIGHTS COVID -19

COVID-19: Plan International support IDPs, communities with food, sensitise them on safe keeping

Plan International Nigeria, a child and girls’ rights organisation has provided over 28,000 individuals in communities in Borno State, North east Nigeria with food items. The organisation, which has been working in the communities supporting people affected by the insurgency, according to its Country Director, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, embarked on providing food items for the people because of their increased level of vulnerability as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 and the attendant impact on social life and economy.

“We anticipate that in the face of the pandemic, the system already overwhelmed with responding to challenges of gender-based violence, malnutrition and poor livelihood amongst the internally displaced persons would come under more pressure. We therefore consider it appropriate to provide these citizens with food items, many of whom might not be reached by the government interventions,” Abdu stated.

In addition to the food distribution comprising of 10.5kg of sorghum or millet, 3kg of beans, 1.5kg of cereal, 0.972kg fortified vegetable oil and 0.15kg of iodized salt for each beneficiary in Pulka, Monguno and Gwoza local government areas of Borno State, Plan International team also carried out sensitisation to beneficiaries on Covid-19 prevention. The sensitisation which held ahead of the General Food Distribution) using the local languages of Hausa and Mandara to suit the community and IDP camps, explained the appropriate method of hand washing with soap and running water, social and physical distancing, personal hygiene and immune boosting nutritional practices.

The communities are also sensitised on spotting symptoms of contagions such as COVID-19 and how to get help from government authorities just as hand washing stations have been set up in rural communities that have no running water.

“This will help improve the nutritional status of population through provisions of food commodities with varieties that will help meet their daily nutrient requirements of 2, 100 calorie per person per day,” said Hussaini Abdu, Country Director of Plan International in Nigeria.

Target beneficiaries consist of girls, children, disabled persons and elderly men and women. Female and children headed household are also being prioritised to ensure their rights and dignity are protected.