Barnabas Bii And Simon Siele
17 August 2008
Nairobi — Hundreds of displaced people in the North Rift region are threatened with an outbreak of contagious diseases due to poor hygiene and lack of quality health services.
The refugees Sunday protested at the withdrawal of the waiver system in Government-owned health facilities following their relocation to transitional camps four months ago.
Some health facilities in the region have also suspended free medical treatment previously enjoyed by post-election violence victims.
"We cannot afford the high cost of medical services since the violence disrupted our means of livelihood," Mwangi Karanja of Yamumbi said.
The Office of Humanitarian Affairs and other agencies operating in the region say in a report that the refugees, especially children and the elderly, are at risk of contracting diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria.
On their feet
"There are inadequate water and sanitation facilities at the transit camps. The medium-term strategy should aim at the rehabilitation and re-construction of health facilities," recommends the report.
It also says Government-owned health institutions should lower consultation fees until the displaced people get back on their feet.
"There is need to undertake hygiene promotion through community health workers and to carry out an effective malaria control programme in camps and transit sites," says the report.
However, some of the people interviewed said long distances to the nearest health facility made it almost impossible for them to access medical services.
"We have to walk more than five kilometres to the nearest facility, which is extremely difficult for children and pregnant women," said Susan Wangare of Rurigi.
The International Medical Corps in the region has been promoting good hygiene and initiated psycho-social support and immunisation programmes among other health services to the occupants of the various transit camps.
Meanwhile, refugees at Nakuru ASK showground say two people have died because of the increase in infectious diseases in the camp.The camp occupants say the diseases, whose symptoms include vomiting and diarrhoea, chest problems and pneumonia among children are on the rise because of the cold weather conditions.
The 9,995 post-election violence victims have been at the camp since January after fleeing from seven districts in Rift Valley, Western and Nyanza and are stranded there after refusing to take part in the resettlement programme, insisting that alternative land be found for them as they were not comfortable with returning to their homes.
According to camp chairman, Mr Peter Kariuki, a child died last Monday while an adult succumbed to an unknown ailment the previous week while other sick people are admitted to Rift Valley Provincial General Hospital.
Mr Kariuki said scores of other sick people who cannot afford to pay the consultancy fees at the hospital were confined to their makeshift tents.
He said that living conditions at the camp had deteriorated sharply following the withdrawal of donor agencies that were supplying food and providing essential services.
A fortnight ago, the Government closed a health clinic in a move the refugees say is an attempt to push them out of the camp.
Mr Kariuki told Nation that when the camp clinic was closed, sick people who had gone there for treatment had been told to seek medical attention at the provincial hospital.
The camp's toilets are overflowing, posing a health hazard to the occupants as human waste finds its way to the tents.
The refugees have petitioned various Government agencies and held peaceful demonstrations to highlight their plight, but to no avail.
Two of the camp's occupants were shot by police during one such demonstration.
"The Government has neglected us, and its is trying to force us out of the camp because they cannot address the issues that we have raised concerning the provision of alternative accommodation," Mr Kariuki said.
"We are not opposed to the resettlement exercise, but the Government must address issues regarding our security before we can leave the camp.
They have failed to initiate peace and reconciliation meetings to ensure mutual co-existence between us and our former neighbours, said Mr Kariuki.
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