Liliatu Ayuba, a traditional birth attendant (TBA) in the Durumi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Abuja, had been struggling with water shortages since she became a TBA. She explained that due to water scarcity, residents were forced to walk several kilometres to a shallow river to fetch water. " When we arrived at the camp in 2014, we faced hardship due to the lack of water.
We had to walk a few kilometres to get dirty water from a river. Despite this, we were not concerned because, compared to what we left behind due to the Boko Haram invasion, this situation felt like a blessing." Ayuba said.
This river was the only source of water for the IDP camp dwellers and according to Ayuba, although the river was heavily polluted, it was used for cooking, drinking, bathing, and other daily activities. In Nigeria, over 66 million people do not have access to drinking water from improved sources such as piped water or protected wells. The lack of access to clean water, good sanitation, and hygiene practices is responsible for nearly 88% of the country's disease burden, with children bearing the highest burden.
According to a study, Nigeria is the second-highest contributor to global under-five mortality rates from diarrhoea, with over 151,700 deaths each year. The problem worsens with long-term relocation. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict often find themselves in overcrowded and under-resourced camps.
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