WHO worried about Minawao refugees birth rate

Officials of the World Health Organization (WHO), present in the Far North Region, are worried about the pace at which babies are born at the Minawao refugee camp.

Taking advantage of the visit of the Minister of Public Health André Mama Fouda to the camp on March 11, 2016, they presented the situation “alarming” births among refugees. According to their presentation, each week there are on average 55 births, more than 500 births per quarter and thus more than 2,000 births per year.

A disturbing trend because according to an officials of the WHO, children born in the Minawao refugee camp will automatically have the Cameroonian nationality according to the law of land. ” An official from the International Medical Corps, NGO working in the field of health in Minawao, understands that the large number of births in the camp is due to the fact that refugees have no business to look after.

So they spend all days and nights in the company of their wives. Hence the exponential growth in the number of births. Anyway, the camp of Minawao, the Ministry of Public Health and its partners have placed special emphasis on reproductive health. Objective, allow pregnant women to antenatal clinics so that they give birth in normal conditions.

Apart from the WHO, first partner of the Government in the health sector, other partners are also working to improve the effect of reproductive health. This is the case of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) the Minister of Public Health André Mama Fouda, appreciated the quality of work provided by the various teams mobilized at Mora, Mokolo and Minawao camps.

In the latter site, the MSF created on March 16, 2015, a health center whose activities are among others, reproductive health, general consultations, and nutrition.

The medical team led by Dr. Aristide consists of 3 general practitioners, 1 psychologist, eight nurses, two midwives and 18 caregivers. In 2015, they performed 1499 antenatal consultations. Since 04 January 2016, the health post of the MSF recorded 7178 general consultations or 900 consultations per week. MSF has also built 2198 latrines, 1442 showers and distributes 500 to 600m3 of water per day.

Populated as of March 11, 2016 with 55 000 people, mostly women and children, the Minawao camp continues to host more refugees. According to the governor of the Far North region, Midjiyawa Bakari, 500 to 700 refugees are arriving every week.

A situation that makes life difficult for both defense forces and the administrative authorities. Which are required to create everyday strategies to control the movements of emigrants.