By Honesty Victor
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says seven migrants with severe health conditions are receiving medical treatment following the arrival of 182 voluntary returnees from Libya.
The Manager of the IOM Lagos Transit Centre, Mr Stanley Ukaegbu, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media tour of the organisation’s Migration Transit Centre in Igando, Lagos.
IOM received the 182 returnees aboard a chartered flight on Tuesday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The migrants were subsequently moved to the transit centre, where they are receiving support ahead of their reintegration into society.
Ukaegbu said seven of the returnees were undergoing medical interventions by the organisation’s healthcare team.
“We brought the migrants we received from Libya last night to our transit centre to stabilise them before reuniting them with their families.
“Among them, seven are receiving treatment for severe medical conditions,” he said.
According to him, migrants with critical conditions will be transferred to hospitals through the support of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), while IOM will cover their medical expenses.
He said the organisation worked closely with government agencies, including LASEMA and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, to support the returnees and facilitate their reintegration.
“When the migrants arrive, we first provide immediate medical care, but issues affecting migrants require a multi-stakeholder response.
“The Lagos State Government, through LASEMA, provides the facility where the migrants are accommodated, enabling us to address their medical, psychosocial and social needs.
“The transit centre is managed through collaboration among partner organisations, while IOM provides technical support with funding from the European Union,” he said.
Ukaegbu said the migrants would remain at the centre for a maximum of four days before being reunited with their families and communities.
He added that the organisation provided meals and essential non-food items, including toiletries and other basic necessities, during their stay.
Speaking on the health conditions of the migrants, Dr Utibe Ikoiwak, a medical doctor at the IOM Transit Centre, said treatment was based on individual diagnoses and included mental health assessments.
“We attend to two categories of migrants — those returning from cities such as Benghazi and those rescued from detention camps.
“Migrants returning from the cities often present with general health complaints such as body pains, headaches, respiratory tract infections and, in some cases, cataracts.
“Some also experience discomfort associated with air travel, including jet lag and changes in time zones,” she said.
Ikoiwak noted that migrants returning from detention camps often faced more serious health challenges due to prolonged confinement and poor living conditions.
She said common cases included skin infections, body itching, lice and bedbug infestations, often linked to poor sanitation and the use of highly saline water.
“We have also recorded a few cases of tuberculosis, while during a previous return exercise, there was an outbreak of chickenpox among some migrants,” she said.
According to her, psychological trauma remains one of the most common challenges among returnees because of the experiences they endured during their migration journeys.
“They have not had an easy journey. Many of their experiences are traumatic and frightening.
“Most of them are young people who left home with high expectations that were ultimately not fulfilled,” she said.
