On September 10, heavy rain caused the Alau Dam in Borno to overflow, leading to major floods that heavily impacted houses, markets, fields, livestock, and several health facilities. According to Borno state authorities, there are 30 makeshift displacement sites. Most of the sites are schools with too few latrines and a lack of safe drinking water.
There is also fear that this crisis could increase the levels of malnutrition in the area. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is calling for urgent additional support—especially for water, sanitation, and medical care—to protect people already heavily impacted by long-term insecurity and unprecedented levels of malnutrition.
Sanitation is primary concern
“We are very concerned about the precarious living conditions and potential outbreaks of cholera and malaria,” says Dr. Issaley Abdel Kader MSF head of mission in Nigeria. “The number of children affected by malaria and acute watery diarrhea had already started to increase before the flooding, and we have seen some with clinical signs of cholera since the floods. We are afraid that the number of cases will rise without an increase in medical and humanitarian support, especially regarding water, sanitation, and hygiene.”
Last week, MSF teams went to several displacement sites (Galtimari, Yerwa, Ali Sheriff, Vocational Enterprise Institute, and Teachers Village) to assess people’s needs and start providing essential services. Our teams are improving water access through water trucking and tanks, supporting sanitationby installing and repairing latrines, and distributing mosquito nets. Teams are also providing outpatient consultations in the sites, including for mental health, and referring critical patients to the facilities we support.
Given the risks posed by malaria and cholera, MSF is also planning to expand the pediatric facility we support by 100 beds.
The Borno state government has announced that most displacement sites will be closed and merged in the coming days. They plan to keep three main sites open to accommodate people who still have no place to stay , and because of an upcoming mass cholera vaccination campaign.
“All parties involved in the humanitarian response must continue providing assistance to people affected by the floods and ensure easy access to medical care for those who need it,” says Dr. Issaley. “The closure of most sites means that many will find themselves in a very vulnerable situation. For those remaining in the sites, prompt action must be taken to swiftly improve hygiene conditions, including access to latrines, safe water, and mosquito nets.”
Regional challenges predate floods
Support for communities won’t just be needed at the new displacement sites. Well before the floods, the entire population of Maiduguri was already facing huge challenges, including one of the worst malnutrition crises recorded in northeast Nigeria. In recent months, hundreds of severely malnourished children were admitted to the MSF nutritional care hospital each week.
“Admissions to the nutritional facilities had just started to decrease when the flooding occurred,” says Dr. Ashok Shrirang Sankpal, deputy medical coordinator at MSF Nigeria. “With markets and businesses heavily impacted, the harvest damaged, and livestock washed away, there is huge concern that the downward trend will reverse and that admissions will start to rise again.”
This is the second time in just a few weeks that MSF has had to launch emergency responses linked to flooding in northern Nigeria. In Gummi, Zamfara state, homes and farms were destroyed and thousands left newly displaced by severe flooding in August. Like in Maiduguri, people in this area already face significant challenges, including malnutrition, persistent insecurity, and lack of access to health care. MSF teams have been supporting communities in Gummi over the last few weeks by delivering clean drinking water, repairing boreholes, and delivering kits which include mosquito nets and plastic sheets for temporary shelter.
