What Church did for 34,000 IDPs in Benue

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Makurdi, has commenced a two-day free medical outreach services for the 34,600 Internally Displaced Persons, (IDPs).

The displaced persons are currently housed at the Abagena IDPs camp on the outskirts of Makurdi town.

Flagging off the medical services at the camp, District Pastor of the Church, Ibrahim Maviah, said the outreach being sponsored by the Adventist Men Organisation (AMO) would also involve the distribution of relief materials and food the to IDPs.

Pastor Maviah said, “Apart from the free medical services, we are also here to feed and clothe the displaced persons in line with the teachings of Christ which entails that whatever we do for the less privileged is invariably done for Christ.

“Moreover, we all know that health workers across the country are currently on strike so the government can do little in that area at this particular time hence the IDPs are currently facing a huge challenge so this is the ideal time for the outreach.

“God-willing, we intend to reach other camps in the state after which we hope to embark on community services in schools and market places. So we are inviting other church’s and persons of goodwill to join the train.”

On his part, the Deputy Leader of the AMO, Innocent Samson, said the free services would cater for all the sick in the camp as well as check the health status of all the IDPs in the camp for necessary action.

Receiving the team, the Abagena camp Manager, James Iorhuna, commended the Church for the intervention stressing that it would complement the efforts of the state government “especially at this time that health workers on strike.”