Libya returnees: Governors should pick-up their indigenes – Nigerian Govt

Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, has called on state governors to pick up their indigenes who have been medically cleared from camps setup to cater for Libyan returnees.
The Minister made the call while stating that the Federal Government through all the relevant Agencies and the Federal Ministry of Health was determined to make “things better for the returnees and poised to see how they could benefit from what the country has to offer.”
He said there was the need to have a pool for the screened returnees ready to be picked up and proper contact established with their relatives.
Adewole spoke when he visited the camp set up for the 487 Nigerian returnees which were the second batch from Libya in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday.
Speaking while inspecting the camp, he said the purpose of his visit was to ascertain the level of medical services rendered, determine if there were gaps and to emphasis the need for all the returnees to be medically screened.
He warned officials to ensure that the number of returnees screened tallied with the expected number as contained in the manifest provided by National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, authorities.
The Minister noted that the ongoing process of rehabilitation and reintegration of the returnees into the societies would rebuild hope and confidence in them as they get settled to start life afresh.
Adewole also advised that a counselling unit must be set up to provide psycho-social services because “quite a number of them must have been traumatized by the unwholesome experience they suffered while in Libya.”
He said the medical team at the camp needed a mobile X-tray machine and ICT unit to ensure proper and thorough screening and documentation.
According to Adewole, ”this is the only way to achieve a comprehensive medical screening and also decongest the UPTH as some medical cases could be handled at the camp thereby reducing the number of the referrals to the Teaching hospital”.
Commending the NEMA staff for their commitment and dedication, he advised them to reach out to State Governors who were yet to pick up their indigenes, who were medically cleared and fit to be reintegrated into the society.
|Daily Post