Residents of Kipingi Village in Nyatike Sub County have decried a poor state of a health facility that lacks both clean water and electricity.
Kipingi Dispensary that serves as the only health facility in Kanyasa ward was constructed in 2007 but is yet to be connected to clean water with residents recounting harrowing experience of patients putting up with lantern lights with some forced to carry barrels of water for their sick relatives.
Speaking to journalists, a section of residents noted that life had become so hard for their sick relatives with some forced to rely on over the counter drugs due to the poor state of the facility.
The residents of Kipingi and adjacent viilages of Ndiwa,Lwanda Konyango,Diruma and Aora Chuodho that borders Migori and Homa Bay, further raised concerns on the manner in which the lack of water and electricity has affected even expectant mothers and children who seek health services in the facility.
“It even becomes hard to find drinking water. At times, families of expectant mother are forced to carry their own water to enhance services after delivery.”
Christine Achieng, resident
“We are in dire need of water if health services are to run smoothly and this mandate lies with the county government,” said a medic at the facility who sought anonymity fearing reprisal.
Mr John Ogal, a local noted that the health facility lacks a borehole that can sustain it and also run some of the crucial health activities in the drought ravaged area.
They added that it also lacks water and it depends on the installed solar power sources that sometimes breakdown and leaves the patients and healthcare workers in darkness making their work not to be done effectively.
They want both the national and the county Government of Migori to provide them with clean water and also electricity power that can help the health workers to improve services and help reduce the hardships that the residents and the workers at the dispensary face daily.
The concerns come even as the county government maintained that there were plans to drill boreholes in the affected villages to cushion them from the water crisis.
Migori County executive for water and energy Mr Christopher Rusanna noted that there was an ongoing assessment in the affected areas and plans were underway to provide clean water and electricity.
“We have been mapping some of the affected areas and we will soon be drilling boreholes to address the situation. We have so far done several projects in the county in phases and will ensure that no family is left out of this project.”
Christopher Rusana, County water and energy CECM
About the Author
