Doctors pledge sustained support to released students

chika ebuzor

January 1, 2017 5:43 PM

Sununu noted that the Chibok girls were experiencing emotional and psychological torture, among other challenges.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (C) poses at State House in Abuja on October 19, 2016 with the 21 Chibok girls who were released by Boko Haram the previous week

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has promised to sustain its efforts at providing specialist care to the released Chibok girls and other victims of insurgency.

Dr Yusuf Sununu, the Secretary General of the association, made the pledge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday (NAN) in Abuja.

He assured that NMA has the right capacity to provide medical services and special care that would guarantee better future for the victims.

The general secretary identified areas of care to include psycho-social support, reintegrating them with their families, recommending necessary investigation, carrying out investigation, interpreting and recommending the desired services.

“We can seat with parents, educate them on the need to accept their children no matter the condition. Their families must accept them and understand that they did not subject themselves to that.

“For them to be reintegrated into the families parents must accept that those changes are there; must understand that they have passed through situations that may have changed their psychological outlook and behavior, among others,’’ he said.

However, the scribe stressed that the victims needed full support and assistance of family members, governments and other philanthropists to be fully reintegrated into the society.

Sununu explained that a lot of them were held in captivity without babies but came back with babies, noting that this must have exposed them to varying sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

He said that they required thorough medical examination to ascertain if they have been infected with HIV, syphilis and other STDs.

Sununu who further noted that the girls were malnourished, however said the association would generate physical and laboratory investigation to ascertain the nutritional deficiency confronting them and make adequate replacement of those elements.

“We have identified what their problems are, they have been in captivity for almost two years, separated from their families, undergo torture, also tormented by constant gunshot, bomb blasts, among others.

“So, these nasty experiences can give them psychological stress. Since they have been released from captivity we have to look at this issue and find a way to address them headlong.

“First, they must get assurance that their safety is guaranteed, they must undergo a thorough medical checkup with regard to STDs because some of them went there without babies but came back with babies.

“They need to be screened for STDs, HIV, Syphilis, among others, that may be of health significant currently or in future,’’ Sununu noted.

NAN recalls that about 45 Chibok school girls had so far been rescued out of over 200 abducted in April 14, 2014, by Boko Haram insurgents.

chika ebuzor