ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT OF BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY ON HEALTH OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN NORTH EAST, NIGERIA

  • Suleiman, Mohammed Saeed Ph.D
  • Ajadi, Saheed Kamaldeen
Keywords: Boko Haram, IDPs, Impact, Insurgency, Universal Health

Abstract

Boko Haram Insurgency (BHI) constitutes one of the global most worrisome phenomenons and the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Northern Nigeria has risen tremendously due to BHI attacks. IDPs are faced with health and socioeconomic challenges and it affects their pattern of living especially for the weak among them. This study assesses the Impact of the Boko Haram Insurgency on the Health of Internally Displaced Persons in North East, Nigeria. This study was qualitative, thus it utilized in-depth interviews to pull together information from the key informants who are IDPs, health workers, social workers, traditional leaders, and members of the community as its method. This paper argues that the present situation of raising BHI has undermined the universal quality health service for IDPs and by implication weakens it and makes it unfeasible. This paper asserts that despite the efforts of the government and other stakeholders in providing support for the IDPs, however, BHI has threatened the efficiency of health services to IDPs owing to several factors such as overcrowding, poor and unhygienic living conditions of IDPs, health service provision, attacks on health facilities and personnel and restrictions of the health of health workers. The study argued that BHI has led to the absence of universal quality health service for IDPs and by implication, affects the universal quality health service delivery and reduces Nigeria's position in the universal socio-economic and health indexes.

Published
2022-10-12
Section
Articles