‘Sleeping with our wives is our only happiness’ – Says man at Benue IDP camp which recorded 200 newborns in 1 month

A man in one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Benue State has explained that the men could not stop sleeping with their wives because they are in a camp.

He disclosed this after it was revealed that the camp recorded 200 births in one month.

This is according to the findings of the Integrated Supportive Supervision of the United Nations Children’s Fund, and the World Health Organisation, UNICEF/WHO Humanitarian Health Response IDP Outreach implemented by the Benue State Primary Healthcare Board.

The research was carried out at the Ortese and Ichwa IDP camps in Guma and Makurdi local government areas, respectively.

In the Ortese IDP camp alone, 200 babies were born in a single month, a record that has raised eyebrows and prompted calls for action.

The displaced persons disclosed that amid their distress, they find pleasure and happiness in sleeping with their spouses.

One of the IDPs, who identified himself as Anngu, and also claimed to be a father of two and resides in the camp with his family, said: “Though we live in the camp we find space to sleep with our wives. When we do that we are happy with each other and it helps us reduce the pains we are going through.

“So we cannot be asked to stop because we are living in camp. The only thing is that we must ensure that our wives protect themselves from being pregnant though some men don’t like the idea of their wives not giving birth.

“As for me I came to the camp about two years ago with my wife and two children and I sleep with my wife, but I ensure that she uses the family planning products that were given to her by the health care people. But the truth is that many are not using it.”

Speaking on the development, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Primary Health Care Board, M Grace Wende, who visited the camp, said the number of new births was quite high and the government would need to do something about it.

She said: “I saw a very interesting sight. I’ve been in these camps often as part of our coordination beat and as part of the main role of primary health care.

“We are part of the major leading partners in supporting the IDP camps in terms of providing healthcare personnel who will be providing services to these various camps.

“Today I saw many pregnant women and young children and it seems that there is a very high level of fertility and childbirth within these camps.

“Today alone we noticed that there are 200 new births per month. It is quite high, and the government needs to do something about it.

“But from my discussion with them, it seems that they are not utilising the family planning products that were given to them. So we need to intensify demand creation generation, especially among the men because they took the problem there. The women are willing but their husbands are resisting those family planning methods.

“The 200 births I am talking about are just in Ortese IDPs Camp. I am not talking about any other. So, 200 babies delivered in one camp in one month is huge. And we have not gotten the situation in other camps.

“Our findings indicated that the women there are helpless. Some women are remarrying within the camp, their husbands are not there; the husbands are also remarrying. They are also, sort of negotiating sex with the women within the camp. Those things are things that require that we intensify our advocacy and decision-making within the camps.

“I have already talked with the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the Camp Coordinators to see how we can go about it. We will target the advocacy on the men for now.”