Mothers giving birth under trees in Ijara, Garissa County, as doctors flee the area

A patient is being wheeled over in a hospital,(Courtesy)

By: @Abdirahman_khal

Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) have come to the rescue of Ijara sub County residents in Garissa county after nurses and doctor have fled the area due to insecurity.

A local who spoke to Kulan Post said that the officers have been offering them treatment services for the last seven days.

“The Kenya Defense Force officers have been treating the sick here in our hospital, they are helping us a lot and we thank them,” Ahmed said.

“We used to have negative believes against these officers but we have now known that they are humble and good.” He added.

For the past four weeks, hospitals in Ijara sub county have not been functioning after doctors and nurses downed their tools and left the constituency.

Ijara has been attacked by militants believed to be Al Shabaab members in recent times, this is believed to have caused the health officials to abscond their duties and leave the area.

Locals say that they have been suffering and are now asking the government to intervene after teachers have also been reported to be leaving the sub county.

Hospitals in Saingailu and Ijara are the most affected as they have not been operating totally since 20^th  of February.

“Mothers have been delivering here just like goats and its very painful and bad witnessing such a situation in this millennium,” Feisal, a local whose neighbor had delivered under a tree said.

The residents are now asking the County government to come to their rescue before the situation gets worse.

“The deputy governor hails from this town; we want him to come here and address this issues,”  Feisal noted.