TURKANA CENTRAL — Residents of Nakwamekwi in Turkana Central Sub-County have rejected plans to relocate Ng’iitakito dispensary, demanding that the county government rebuild and expand the facility at its current site following a fire that damaged it on August 30.
Speaking on Sunday, September 13, residents from the eight villages served by the dispensary said relocating the facility would make access to basic healthcare more difficult, particularly for low-income families who depend on it instead of travelling to health facilities in Lodwar.
The facility serves residents of Natorbe, Lokhoyo, Khapus, Ng’iitakito, Legio, Namakat B, Loyo and Nataparkhakono villages. Residents want the damaged facility replaced with a permanent, better-equipped health centre with adequate healthcare workers, medicines and essential services to meet the needs of the growing population.
Christopher Echakan, a former chairperson of Ng’iitakito dispensary, appealed to Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai and Turkana Central MP Joseph NamuarEmathe to intervene and help secure a modern facility for the community.
“We want Namuar and Napotikan to build us a block dispensary. We are tired of this makeshift structure,” Echakan said. Kevin EkweeMuya, the current chairperson of the dispensary, questioned the decision to relocate the facility instead of rebuilding it.
“I have never seen a facility that is fully serving the people being relocated,” Muya said, urging authorities to rebuild, expand and equip the dispensary at its current location. Village elder Paul Lomoyo of Namakat said residents would resist any attempt to move the facility, arguing that it was established to serve the local community.
“EkweeEthuro built this dispensary for us. We will not accept anyone saying that they are taking our hospital away from here and moving it elsewhere,” Lomoyo said.
Other residents and community representatives echoed the call for the dispensary to remain at its current location, saying the facility has played an important role in providing healthcare to the surrounding villages.
Catherine Apalia, Assistant Village Elder of Namakat B, urged county leaders to put aside their differences and work together to improve healthcare services in the area. “If our leaders know that the residents of Ng’iitakito are part of Kenya, we are asking them to put aside their differences and come together so that we can have a dispensary that is suitable for this community,” Apalia said.
Ng’iitakito youth representative Lobuin Emmanuel said residents were not opposing government intervention but wanted their concerns considered in decisions affecting the facility.
“We are not opposing the government,” Emmanuel said, adding that residents wanted authorities to address the challenges facing the community.
The August 30 fire broke out at around 8am when no patients were at the facility. It destroyed several sections, including the maternity unit and drug store, as well as a refrigerator, computers, medical records, documents, medical equipment and nutrition supplies such as Plumpy’Nut.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, while the full extent of the damage is yet to be established. Residents are now calling on the county government and other stakeholders to treat the matter as an urgent healthcare priority and rebuild the dispensary at its existing site rather than relocate it.
