A non-governmental organisation, Leader Joe 1808 Foundation, has extended medical outreach against scabies infection to over 1,000 residents of Tudun Biri community in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Scabies is a skin condition that can cause itching and a rash. It occurs due to infestations of microscopic mites and spreads through physical contact.

Recall that a military drone on a routine operation erroneously allegedly bombed the Tudun Biri community during a Maulud Nabiyyi celebration (the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, PBUH) on December 3 2023, killing over 80 villagers.

The Kaduna State Government had since commenced documentation to enable it to pay compensation to the landowners used for the rebuilding project.

Also, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima in July, inaugurated the rebuilding of the village under the Nigerian Government Pulako Initiative. 

The state Coordinator of the organisation, Theck Makeri, who spoke during the exercise, said the event was in collaboration with the state Primary Health Care Development Agency.

Mr Makeri said after a need assessment of the area was conducted, scabies infection was identified as an outbreak in Tudun Biri.

 He said, “Unfortunately, scabies has to do with personal hygiene and if you look at the community, you will observe that it is lacking in basic amenities that would ensure good hygiene. The infection, we have observed, affected a high number of women and children in the community as such, there was a need for medical intervention.”

 According to Mr Makeri, the 1808 foundation has as one of its core mandates, to meet humanitarian needs of vulnerable individuals, groups and communities.

 He added, “Tudun Biri is one of the communities that we have felt the need to reach out to, especially bearing in mind the unfortunate incident the community witnessed last year. We thought it wise to reach out to them through medical intervention and also distribute food items. From the flyer, we tagged the programme ‘Feed a Thousand,’ and this is our target to meet the needs of at least a thousand vulnerable individuals of the community.”

A resident and beneficiary, Saratu Samuel, applauded the gesture of the organisation, describing it as timely.

She said, “I am happy two of my children received medical care free of charge, which would have cost me quite a fortune.’’

Another resident and beneficiary, Idris Addo, who commended the effort also pleaded that the same gesture be extended to other neighbouring communities whose family members were lost during last year’s tragic incident.

A team of health workers at the outreach conducted free medical tests for the residents.

They also distributed drugs for malaria, typhoid and blood pressure including sharing 300 3kg bags of rice packaged with maggi and salt. 

(NAN)