Sisters of the Medical Missionaries of Mary are braving the odds in Torugbene community, in the Bomadi Diocese in Nigeria's oil-rich Delta State.
Torugbene, home to the Ijaw-speaking tribe who are predominantly farmers and fishermen, is located a few miles inland from the Gulf of Guinea near the convergence of the Niger River, which often leads to seasonal flooding. The floods sweep through homes and destroy farmlands, grinding the rural lifestyle to a halt.
The community faces significant challenges due to limited resources and a lack of government presence, resulting in inadequate housing, motorable roads, employment, electricity, education, health care and access to clean drinking water.
"It's a dire situation that leaves our people here exposed to all kinds of diseases," said Sr. Janefrances Ihekuna, administrator for Mary Martin Primary Health Center, Torugbene.
"We live and work in a riverine community surrounded by water that is often polluted and consumed by the people; they bathe and dispose of their waste in it. They also drink and cook with this water. Unfortunately, it is causing harm to them."
Earlier this year, Nigeria experienced a surge in the outbreak of cholera, a disease that is transmitted through food or water contaminated with fecal material from an infected person and in unhygienic environments. The country's Center for Disease Control declared it a "national emergency," adding to the challenges faced by the already fragile health care system.