Public health facilities in areas within Garissa County that have been cut-off following recent heavy rains are running out of medical supplies.
According to Ijara Member of Parliament (MP), Sophia Abdinoor, who oversaw the airlifting of relief supplies by military choppers on Monday, the situation in most of the affected areas they landed was in dire situation.
Speaking to KNA on phone on Wednesday, Sophia appealed to the National Government and other aid agencies to move with speed and restock medical supplies as the risk of waterborne diseases outbreak looms large.
“The situation is so bad. Vehicles cannot go to some of these areas. Several commercial vehicles are stuck on the pathetic roads. No supplies are reaching these areas by road,” Sophia narated.
“I am appealing to the government and even international community for help. The airlifting of relief food and other non-food items should now include medical supplies,” she added .Areas hardest hit by the floods are Ijara, Hulugho, Sangailu, Bothai, Galmagala and Liboi.
Food items being airlifted include rice, wheat flour, maize flour, sugar, food supplements for children under five years of age.
The Kenya Red Cross is supplying non-food items among them mattresses, utensils, mosquito nets and blankets.
The Ijara legislator commended the military for the intervention but termed the assistance so far rendered a ‘drop in the ocean’.
“The food items can barely sustain the families for a few days. We need more food, medicine and other items to cushion the affected residents from the effects of floods,” she said.
There was beehive of activities at the Airstrip on Tuesday, with several Members of County Assemblies (MCAs) from the affected areas together with the County Secretary, Abdi Sheikh, overseeing the delivery of the items from a temporary warehouse at the Garissa Airstrip.
Already, the military has delivered items to four locations since the exercise started.
By Jacob Songok
