247 Health Centres Destroyed In Borno, Says WHO
By Andah John with agency report
A World Health Organisation report says about 247 health centres in Boko Haram-hit state of Borno have been completely destroyed.
The number represents a third of all the 743 health facilities in the state prior to the advent of activities by the insurgent group.
The insurgent group had also partially destroyed another third of the health facilities in the state, according to the report.
WHO said it worked with Borno’s health ministry to gather information about medical services available in the area.
It explained that of the 743 health facilities, 35 per cent had been completely destroyed, another 29 per cent partially damaged while 34 per cent remained intact.
Terrain difficult to access
WHO’s Nigeria representative Wondi Alemu said, “high insecurity, difficult terrain and lack of health workers, medicines, equipment and basic amenities such as safe water” made it hard for people to access health care.
The insurgent group has killed 15,000 people and displaced more than two million from their homes during its attempt to create a “caliphate” in the northeast of Nigeria.
Most areas reclaimed
But in the last few months of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the Nigerian Army, with help from military forces of neighbouring states have reclaimed most of the areas.
Although suppressed, the Jihadist group still carries out attacks like the suicide bomb attack by two girls which left 56 dead last week in Adamawa state.
