Groups campaign for better feeding of IDPs on camp

Three groups have begun a campaign to change the diet of people living in camps for displaced people in an effort to prevent stroke and other non-communicable diseases. The Stephen James Stroke Centre of Excellence, International Society and Media in Public Health (ISMPH) and the Initiative for Women’s Accelerated Development in Africa (INWOAD) began the […]

Three groups have begun a campaign to change the diet of people living in camps for displaced people in an effort to prevent stroke and other non-communicable diseases.
The Stephen James Stroke Centre of Excellence, International Society and Media in Public Health (ISMPH) and the Initiative for Women’s Accelerated Development in Africa (INWOAD) began the campaign with women from Bama and Gwoza areas of the North-east living in an IDP camp in Durumi, Abuja.
Ayodele Obaro, of Stephen James, said: “Stroke is no respecter of persons, status or wealth, but you will be surprised that the group that gets affected most is people of low income.”
She added that: “What we need is to let them understand the dietary aspect of prevention of stroke. Most of the things they consume are things that are locally produced. If your diet is right, you are halfway through the prevention of stroke.”
Many of the IDPs live on food donated by charities and relief organisations, but Obaro said the campaign for better dieting will help change the sort of food donors give to IDPs.
The campaign began with teaching women proper diet and incorporating cheap fruits and vegetables in foods they prepare for their families, even while living in IDP camps.
“When you talk about eating right, you start with the women. They have the energy and knowhow to adapt to simple interventions that can prevent stroke,” said Moji Makanjuola, veteran health journalist and chief executive of ISMPH.
“Stroke is expensive to maintain, and I think the media has a strategic role to play to ensure the right messages go out there. We are part of the movement to ensure non-communicable diseases are contained, knowing that we still have a problem as a country with communicable diseases, then double jeopardy with non-communicable diseases,” she added.
Evelyn Onyilo, president and founder of INWOAD, said women were particularly vulnerable, insisting that: “You cannot have women develop if their health is not right and they are at risk of so many diseases.”
She said: “Women are dying. They undergo a lot of stress – child rearing, menial jobs, and all sorts of things – just to keep their families going. All these have negative effect on women’s health. That is why we must take women’s health serious and give it priority.”