By Peter Duru, Makurdi

Amid a rising wave of Lassa fever cases in Benue state, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stepped up its emergency response with the distribution of 900 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) dignity kits to vulnerable households in nine Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state.

The intervention, which targets densely populated and high-risk communities, was carried out on Wednesday at the Makurdi International Market IDP camp, currently housing survivors of the Yelewata attack.

Speaking during the distribution, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Enugu, Mrs. Juliet Chiluwe, said the initiative was part of broader efforts to strengthen infection prevention and control in the camps.

“To reinforce infection prevention and control, we are installing contactless handwashing stations across the camps. This enables safe hygiene practices while minimizing cross-contamination, which is critical in containing viral outbreaks,” Chiluwe stated.

She emphasized that the kits, containing safe water storage containers and essential hygiene supplies, were designed to help households maintain proper sanitation and reduce exposure to rodent-borne infections.

“In the face of the current Lassa fever outbreak, hygiene is our first line of defence. These kits and the contactless handwashing stations are not just items of convenience; they are lifesaving tools,” she said.

The Chief noted that “by ensuring households can store water safely and wash their hands without surface contact, we are significantly reducing the risk of viral transmission and protecting children from preventable harm.”

UNICEF, she added, was working closely with state health authorities to combine material support with community engagement and risk communication strategies aimed at curbing the outbreak.

Also speaking, the Acting General Manager of the Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (BERWASSA), Mr. Tony Mkpen, commended UNICEF for its sustained support to vulnerable populations in the state.

Represented by Mr. Matthew Nyamve, Desk Officer for WASH in Emergency Technical Working Group, Mkpen noted that the agency had earlier collaborated with UNICEF to distribute over 3,500 WASH and dignity kits across the state.

“You will recall that during the Lassa fever outbreak, BERWASSA reached out to UNICEF, and through their support, we were able to secure over 3,500 kits for IDPs and vulnerable persons,” he said.

“Our responsibility is to ensure these items reach those who need them most, to cushion the effects of the outbreak. We appreciate UNICEF’s consistent support and will ensure the materials are judiciously distributed.”

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the intervention, describing it as timely and impactful.

One of the recipients, Eunice Nyiyongo, a person with disability, said the support would ease her financial burden. “This will help me save money for other needs. May God bless UNICEF for remembering people with disabilities like us,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Mbasalm Ayila, assured that the items would be put to good use.

Items distributed in the WASH and Dignity Kits included bathing soap, laundry detergent, towels, reusable menstrual pads, underwear, petroleum jelly, toothbrushes, and kettles, among several others.