By Musa Muhammad Kutama, Calabar
The Cross River State Government has commenced the mapping of households affected by the recent floods in Calabar following a directive by Governor Bassey Edet Otu, as part of an emergency health response aimed at preventing disease outbreaks and delivering medical assistance to victims.
The exercise, led by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Henry Egbe Ayuk, began on Tuesday with the ministry’s senior management team visiting flood-ravaged communities, including Atu Community, one of the worst-hit areas where families have been displaced, homes destroyed and lives lost after weeks of torrential rainfall.
Dr. Ayuk said the mapping exercise would identify every affected household to enable the government distribute mosquito nets, essential medicines and other lifesaving medical supplies to vulnerable residents.
He explained that many displaced families are now living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, making them highly susceptible to diseases such as malaria and other infections.
“Following the directive of His Excellency, we are mapping everyone affected so that within the next week or thereabout, we can provide the necessary medical commodities, including mosquito nets, drugs and other essential supplies,” Ayuk said.
The commissioner added that the Ministry of Health would work closely with the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency to strengthen healthcare services at nearby primary health centres while surveillance teams monitor possible disease outbreaks in affected communities.
According to him, the flooding highlights the urgent need for an integrated state policy that treats flooding not only as an environmental challenge but also as a major public health emergency requiring coordinated government action.
“We have come here to work. This is a full-strength management team, with every member assigned a specific responsibility.
“Within the next one or two days, we will complete a comprehensive mapping of affected households and ensure that preventive health commodities are delivered as quickly as possible,” he said.
The disaster has left many families counting heavy losses.
Mrs. Chinomso Sarah Sunday broke down in tears as she recounted how floodwaters swept away her one-year-old child, describing the tragedy as a devastating loss that has left her family in deep mourning.
She appealed to the government and well-meaning Nigerians to support victims struggling to rebuild their lives.
Another resident, Mr. Oscar Awor, said the flood destroyed virtually everything his family owned, leaving them with nothing to salvage.
He appealed for urgent assistance, saying many residents had lost years of investments and were uncertain about how to recover from the disaster.
Governor Otu, who had earlier visited the affected community, also reached out to residents by telephone to reassure them that the government would continue to provide support.
Expressing sympathy to the victims, the governor described the incident as evidence of the growing impact of climate change.
“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. We prepared for flooding, but not this early or at this magnitude.
Government shares in your pain, and our officials will do their very best to support you,” the governor said.
Responding on behalf of the community, Chief Francis Ekpenyong thanked Governor Otu and the Ministry of Health for the prompt intervention, describing the governor’s phone call and the ministry’s visit as a demonstration of compassionate leadership.
He also commended Dr. Ayuk for personally leading the assessment and welcomed the planned distribution of medicines, mosquito nets and other health commodities to affected households.
