An audit of healthcare provision in internally displaced population camps in Nigeria

Ekezie, Winifred; Timmons, Stephen; Myles, Puja; Siebert, Penelope; Bains, Manpreet; Pritchard, Catherine

Abstract

Background: Armed conflict in Nigeria resulted in more than 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). IDPs live in poor conditions lacking basic resources with variable provision across different locations. This audit aimed to determine the health-related resources available to IDPs in camp-like settings in Nigeria and whether these met international standards.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional study approach, information was collected in 9 camps across 7 states from camp managers, and direct observation in September-October 2016. The Sphere minimum standards in humanitarian crises were used as the audit standards.
Findings: Five of 15 assessed standards were met to some extent, including the availability of water and shelter. Sanitation and vaccination were unmet in 5 camps, with severe overcrowding in 5 camps, and inadequate waste disposal in all camps. Health programme implementation was uneven, and especially poor in self-settled and dispersed settlements.
Conclusion: Inequality in distribution of humanitarian support was observed across different settings, which could lead to a higher likelihood of water, food and air related diseases and thereby, a poorer quality of life for IDPs. Ensuring standardised health assessments could promote a more even distribution of resources across IDP locations.

Citation

Ekezie, W., Timmons, S., Myles, P., Siebert, P., Bains, M., & Pritchard, C. (2018). An audit of healthcare provision in internally displaced population camps in Nigeria. Journal of Public Health, 41(3), 583-592. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy141

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 21, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Aug 22, 2018
• Publication Date: Aug 22, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 26, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 23, 2019
• Journal: Journal of Public Health
• Print ISSN: 1741-3842
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-3850
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 41
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 583-592
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy141
• Keywords: Internally displaced persons, Nigeria, healthcare, displacement camps, public health
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/947270
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdy141/5077786
• Additional Information: This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Public Health following peer review. The version of record Winifred Ekezie, Stephen Timmons, Puja Myles, Penelope Siebert, Manpreet Bains, Catherine Pritchard; An audit of healthcare provision in internally displaced population camps in Nigeria, Journal of Public Health, is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdy141/5077786
• Contract Date: Jul 26, 2018