Médecins du Monde, an international humanitarian non-governmental organisation (NGO), has decided it will no longer work in the Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State after a rogue soldier killed one of its employees.
In November, the aid worker, Alem Muluseta, was stabbed several times and shot dead by the soldier who was described as being “a rogue on the rampage”. He also killed a fellow soldier who was trying to disarm him and shot and wounded a United Nations helicopter pilot.
After the killing, Médecins du Monde said it would stop working in Damboa until a decision was reached to either continue or stop its work there permanently.
Residents in Damboa told RNI reporter Alkali Mustapha that they were extremely worried about the organisation’s decision because they relied heavily on it for health services.
Abubakar Abbas said: “When Médecins du Monde was working here, we were able to go to hospital immediately if we got sick. They treated us and gave us medicine for free. But since they have stopped working here, we can go to hospital only when we have money. If we don’t have money, we stay at home because there is no way we can afford to buy medicine.
“There are government health centres but they are nowhere near what Médecins du Monde provided. They don’t have good medicines and we suffer because they don’t give us proper treatment. The medicines are also very expensive.”
Kawu Muhammad said Médecins du Monde’s hospital helped the entire community. It was efficiently run and provided excellent treatment.
“Right now I’m sick but there is no way I can get the same kind of help from government healthcare centres, so I’m just staying at home.
“We have pleaded with the authorities to beg the organisation to stay and help us. We want them to continue here. We really need them. Without their care, health services are very expensive and we cannot afford the treatment or medicines. We are begging Médecins du Monde to continue to help us.”
Aisha Usman said: “Without the organisation’s aid, we don’t have money to pay for treatment. It has been exceedingly difficult since Médecins du Monde stopped working here.
“As mothers, the absence of the Médecins du Monde facility has severely affected us because we have children who need proper healthcare. But we are poor people and we cannot do anything without the organisation’s aid.”
“Damboa residents and all those living in the neighbouring communities are suffering. Médecins du Monde treated us all for free. Their absence has created a huge gap, not only because of the healthcare treatment they provided but also the psychological needs of people in the community. They taught us many things, such as how spouses can coexist peacefully,” said Mallam Ali.
“No matter what time of day or night, they were always on hand to treat us. They used to see at least 100 patients a day. We want them to come back. We really and truly need them.”
Médecins du Monde had been working in Damboa for at least five years before the shocking shooting incident. But the killing of their aid worker by the soldier was just too much and the organisation has no intention of returning at this stage, despite residents’ desperate pleas for them to change their mind.
AISHA SD JAMAL
