The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has handed over two constructed and fully equipped health centres to Cross River government for use by the refugees and host communities in Ogoja local government area.
The UNHCR Country Representative, Ms Chansa Kapaya, who inaugurated the health centres in Ogoja, thanked the Federal Government and Cross River in particular for hosting the Cameroonian refugees.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the health centres are located in Adagom and Ukende communities.
Kapaya said that the statistics of 85,000 refugees in Nigeria was the official registered refugees by UNHCR and National Commission for Refugees, adding that Cross River alone hosts over 50,000 refugees.
She said that recently UNHCR distributed 200 vaccine carrier boxes and fully equipped ambulance and a security pick-up van to ensure security for locals and refugees in Ogoja.
She used the opportunity to call on the Cross River Government to increase the number of health workers in the facilities so that healthcare services would reach the vulnerable population.
Head of Ogoja Field Office of UNHCR, Mr Tesfaye Beleke, said that apart from the health facilities, many schools were renovated and constructed across the state.
The Director General, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Princewill Ayim, reiterated government’s commitment towards providing the needed support to enhance effective intervention.
On his part, Mr Innocent Efoghe, the Zonal Coordinator, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, thanked UNHCR for providing and equipping the health centres.
Dr Janet Ekpenyong, Director-General of Cross River Primary Healthcare Agency, who received the health facilities, thanked UNHCR for the interventions to better the lives of the Cameroonian refugees and host communities.
She announced that more health workers would be sent to the facilities to enhance maximum health service delivery.
The Chairman of Ogoja local government council, Mr Emmanuel Ishabor, thanked UNHCR for recognizing the support given to the refugees and for constructing the health facilities.(NAN)
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