Flood Victims Set To Receive Medicines, Mosquito Nets As Gov. Gifts Money To Bereaved Families

CALABAR, CROSS RIVER – Governor Bassey Edet Otu has fulfilled his promise to provide financial assistance to families who lost loved ones in the recent flood and landslide disasters in Calabar, while the Cross River State Government has launched a health intervention to prevent disease outbreaks among survivors through the distribution of medicines, mosquito nets and other essential medical supplies.

The financial support was presented on the governor’s behalf by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Barr. Ekpenyong Akiba, to families affected by the disasters, including Mr. Kingsley Etim, who lost his four children in the Ikot Anwatim landslide, Miss Sunday Jennifer, whose father died while attempting to rescue the children, and Mrs. Chinonso Dominic, who lost her one-month-old baby after floodwaters swept the child away at Elijah Henshaw Street.

Presenting the assistance, Akiba conveyed Governor Otu’s condolences to the bereaved families, saying the gesture reflected the government’s commitment to standing with victims during their period of grief.

He stressed that no amount of money could replace the lives lost but explained that the financial assistance was intended to ease the immediate burden on the affected families and reassure them that they were not alone.

Akiba said the governor was deeply touched by the tragedies and had directed that immediate support be provided to the affected families, assuring that the state government would continue to strengthen measures aimed at protecting lives and property while supporting victims of disasters.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), Mr. Efa Nyong, said the agency had remained actively engaged since the disasters through rapid assessments, evacuation of displaced persons, provision of temporary shelter and collaboration with humanitarian organisations to ensure victims received timely assistance.

Nyong reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with partners, including the Nigerian Red Cross and Humanity Without Borders Empowerment Initiative, to provide sustained support for disaster victims across the state.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Kingsley Etim thanked Governor Otu for fulfilling his promise to support the bereaved families.

He described the financial assistance as a compassionate gesture that had given the families renewed hope despite their painful losses.

Mr. Dominic, whose one-month-old child died in the flood, also appreciated the governor for standing by the family during its moment of grief and commended both the state government and CR-SEMA for their continued support since the tragedy.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State Ministry of Health has commenced a comprehensive household mapping exercise in flood-affected communities as part of efforts to distribute medicines, mosquito nets and other essential medical commodities to survivors and prevent outbreaks of malaria and other communicable diseases.

Leading the ministry’s senior management team to Atu Community, one of the worst-hit areas, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, said the exercise, carried out on Governor Otu’s directive, would identify every affected household before the distribution of health commodities.

“Many people are now cramped into very unhealthy conditions. Following the directive of His Excellency, we are mapping everyone affected so that within the next one week or thereabout, we can support them with the necessary medical commodities, including mosquito nets, drugs and other supplies,” Ayuk said.

He warned that flood victims were now exposed to infections, particularly malaria, and disclosed that the Ministry of Health would work closely with the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency to strengthen healthcare services in the affected communities while surveillance teams monitor possible disease outbreaks.

“We have come here to work. This is a full-strength management team… We are here to reassure the victims that the governor is already taking action, particularly in the area of healthcare,” the commissioner added.

For many victims, however, the disaster remains a painful personal tragedy.

Mrs. Chinomso Sarah Sunday recounted how floodwaters swept away her one-year-old child, describing the incident as a devastating experience that had left her family in deep mourning. She appealed to the government and compassionate Nigerians to assist affected families struggling to rebuild their lives.

Another survivor, Mr. Oscar Awor, said the flood destroyed virtually everything his family owned, leaving them homeless and uncertain about how to recover.

During the assessment, Governor Otu personally telephoned community leaders to reassure residents that government would continue mobilising every available resource to ease their suffering.

“I know your state of mind, but I want to assure you that government will do everything possible to mitigate these circumstances and help you out of this situation. Government is deeply sorry. We share in your pain completely,” the governor said.

Responding on behalf of the community, Chief Francis Ekpenyong thanked Governor Otu and the Ministry of Health for the swift intervention, describing the governor’s phone call and the planned distribution of medicines and mosquito nets as timely actions that had restored hope to families affected by the disaster.