The Benue State Primary HealthCare Board (BSPHCB) has reported that 49 children were born in the past month at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp clinic at the International Market in Makurdi, which shelters victims of the Yelwata attack. The announcement was made by BSPHCB Executive Secretary, Mrs. Grace Ashi Wende, during an Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) exercise at the camp.
Wende revealed that the camp, currently hosting 2,336 households and 5,294 individuals—including 2,536 children and 380 pregnant women nearing delivery—has seen significant activity at its clinic. Approximately 490 women received antenatal care (ANC) services in the past month, with 27 delivering at the camp clinic and 66 referred to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) for further medical attention. As of July 28, 2025, BSUTH reported that all 44 admitted patients from the camp remain under care.
The clinic recorded 5,511 consultations between June 16, 2015, and July 14, 2025, with 2,980 adults (339 male, 2,641 female), 496 adolescents aged 10–19 (192 male, 304 female), and 2,030 children aged 0–9 seeking medical services. Wende highlighted the clinic’s role in serving IDPs across all age groups and genders, including six women with disabilities who accessed ANC services.
Wende praised the collaborative efforts of the Benue State Ministry of Health (SMOH), UNICEF, other UN agencies, and Save the Children International, which provided hygiene items to bolster the camp’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives. She also acknowledged the installation of a borehole and a 3HP hybrid submersible pump at the clinic, made possible through these partnerships.
“The 49th baby has safely been delivered at the Ultramodern Market IDP camp clinic,” Wende stated, commending the multidisciplinary healthcare team for their dedication. The BSPHCB’s efforts underscore a commitment to sustaining critical health services for displaced persons amid ongoing challenges in the region.
