Lagos: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nigeria is providing medical aid to seven migrants with severe medical conditions among 182 recently returned migrants from Libya. The IOM Lagos Transit Centre manager, Mr. Stanley Ukaegbu, disclosed this during a tour of its Migration Transit Centre at Igando, Lagos.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the IOM received 180 voluntary returnee migrants on a chartered flight at the Lagos Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Tuesday. Following their arrival, IOM moved them to the Transit Centre before commencing further reintegration efforts.
Ukaegbu stated that among the 182 migrants received, seven are currently undergoing medical interventions by the IOM team at the transit centre. “We brought the 180 migrants we received from Libya last night to our transit centre just to stabilize them before sending them to their families. Among the immigrants, our medical team is treating seven with severe medical conditions,” he said. Those with critical conditions will be moved to hospitals through LASEMA’s emergency van, with bills covered by IOM.
He further explained that IOM partners with government agencies like LASEMA and NCFRI to gradually reintegrate the migrants into society. The Lagos state government, through LASEMA, provided a place to keep these migrants to address their medical, psychosocial, and social needs. The Transit Centre is managed by these organizations, with IOM offering technical support funded by the European Union.
Dr. Utibe Ikoiwak, a Medical Doctor at the IOM Transit Centre Lagos, elaborated on the treatment process for the migrants based on their diagnoses, including mental health evaluations. She noted that there are two sets of migrants: those from Benghazi city and those from detention camps. Migrants from the city generally report general complaints like body pain and headaches, while those from detention camps often suffer from more severe conditions such as lice, bedbug infestations, and respiratory issues.
Dr. Ikoiwak highlighted the psychological challenges faced by the returnee migrants, stating that most of their journeys have been arduous and many are young individuals who faced unmet expectations.