A visit to the Durumi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Abuja has reignited concerns about governance, health care delivery and the long-term welfare of displaced families, particularly women and children.
The visit, undertaken by public health advocate Bilkis Abdulraheem Lawal, was facilitated by Women in Global Health Nigeria as part of the induction and graduation activities of the EmpowerHer Health Fellowship, Cohort 1. Durumi Camp, described as the largest IDP camp in the Federal Capital Territory, is home to about 3,500 displaced persons.
Describing the experience as deeply sobering, Lawal said the realities within the camp starkly illustrated the depth of inequality in society. She questioned the effectiveness of governance across federal, state and local levels, and expressed concern about the future of indigent families living in IDP camps.
“What does the future hold for these families, especially the children?” she asked. “How long will displaced people continue to depend solely on non-governmental organisations for survival, and is there a clear, sustainable plan for them at all?”
During the visit, participants were divided into three groups for focused engagement: Teens and Adolescents, Pregnant and Nursing Mothers, and General Women. Lawal said her engagement focused on pregnant and nursing mothers, in line with her long-standing commitment to maternal and child health.
According to her, the engagement went beyond health sensitisation, as participants listened to the women’s personal stories, challenges and coping strategies since displacement. Discussions highlighted gaps in maternal and child health care services and the urgent support required to improve outcomes.
As part of the outreach, Amina Hassan delivered a session on healthy pregnancy, safe childbirth and raising healthy babies, while Favour Christiana Ogbuagu-Stephen provided practical guidance on proper breastfeeding positioning. Lawal also spoke on the importance of effective child spacing as a key component of maternal and child health.
Donations were made to the camp through Women in Global Health Nigeria, but Lawal noted that charity alone was not a sustainable solution. She stressed that people living in IDP camps require empowerment and opportunities to rebuild productive lives.
She further called attention to the needs of teenagers in the camp, many of whom, she said, expressed aspirations of becoming doctors, midwives and other professionals. Lawal questioned how such dreams could be realised without deliberate and sustained government intervention, particularly in access to quality education.
The visit, she said, reinforced the view that displacement should be treated not only as a humanitarian issue but also as a governance, health and development challenge requiring urgent and coordinated action from relevant authorities.
