Health Begins With Water: What an Abuja IDP Camp Taught Me About Women, Dignity, and Nigeria’s Unfinished SDG Promise

When I visited the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Durumi camp in Abuja, I was not prepared  for what I would see. As someone working and studying within the health field, I have often read  about public health challenges in vulnerable communities. But this visit was entirely different. The  conditions in the camp revealed a deep gap between the global health goals we talk about and the  realities many women still face every day. 

The camp’s water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions were alarming. Access to clean  water was limited, sanitation facilities were inadequate, and housing conditions were extremely  poor. These are not just development concerns; they are fundamental determinants of health. When  we talk about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and  Well-being) and SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation), the ambition is to ensure that everyone can live  healthy, dignified lives by 2030. Standing in that camp, however, it was difficult not to question  how close we truly are to achieving these goals. What struck me the most was the number of women living under these conditions. Over a thousand  women in the camp were exposed daily to environments that increase their vulnerability to  infectious diseases, poor maternal health outcomes, and long-term health complications. Many of  them were also caring for children within the same fragile conditions. 

It made me reflect deeply: What more can be done for communities like this? 

Over time, many organizations and advocates have visited such camps. They deliver relief  supplies, conduct health outreaches, and raise awareness of the needs of displaced populations.  While these interventions are important, I found myself asking a difficult question: why do  communities often return to the same conditions after these efforts? The challenge, I realized, is  sustainability. Short-term interventions can provide immediate relief, but without long-term  systems in place, the underlying problems remain. Communities should not continue cycling  through the same pattern of temporary help followed by persistent hardship. What is needed are  sustainable solutions that address infrastructure, sanitation systems, water access, and safe  housing. 

This experience also made me realize how essential preventive health truly is. Access to clean  water, proper sanitation, and safe housing are not luxuries; they are the first line of defense against  disease outbreaks. Without them, entire communities remain vulnerable. The implications extend  beyond the camp itself. When communities are forced to live without basic public health  protections, outbreaks of infectious diseases become more likely. In our interconnected societies,  these health risks rarely remain isolated. What begins in one underserved community can quickly  become a wider public health concern. For this reason, policies addressing vulnerable populations  must prioritize inclusion and sustainability. Women and children in displaced communities must  be part of conversations that shape health policies and development programs. Their realities  should guide the design and implementation of interventions.

Visiting the IDP camp changed my perspective on health equity. It reminded me that the pursuit  of global health goals must go beyond policy discussions and conference rooms. It must reach the  communities where the need is greatest. The women I saw in that camp deserve more than  temporary solutions. They deserve access to the same basic conditions that allow health, dignity,  and opportunity to flourish. If we are truly committed to achieving global health equity, then the  voices and realities of vulnerable communities must remain at the center of our efforts.