Residents of Bale in Sokoke, Ganze Sub County in Kilifi County have expressed their hope for improved health service delivery. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
This is after the county government official opened the Bale dispensary, a health facility expected to ease the pains of residents walking for long distances to seek medical services.
The opening ceremony for the facility which was attended by hundreds of the local community was graced by the chairman of the County Assembly Committee on Health Mr Thaura Mweni.
Mr Mweni is also the area ward representative.
The dispensary is located in Dida location and its construction began last year and now the locals say it is a new beginning for them.
“Actual this dispensary will save us from walking for long distances to seek medical services. It was our prayer that this region gets a health facility and today we are happy that our health services will right be available here,” said Kahindi Kenga, a Bale resident.
Another resident, Jumwa Kache said women suffered especially during giving birth as they are required to travel to long distances while in labour pains. That she said is soon going to be a bygone story.
“In case of difficulty during birth, this facility will be here for us. It’s a dream coming true to us as women in this region,” she said.
Like any normal rural set up in Kilifi County, Bale has been experiencing huge challenges in terms of medical services with the locals forced to travel more than 20 kilometres to as far as Vitengeni and Ganze to seek medical services.
Addressing the locals Mr Mweni said access to health care has been a thorn issue in Bale but through my efforts and in collaboration with the community and with the County health department, this facility was set up here.
“We are optimistic that the many challenges pertaining to medical services and healthcare in general will be dealt with here. The locals need not to walk into long distances again,” he said.
Apart from the Bale dispensary, the MCA recently opened Ndigiria Dispensary and officially launched the construction of Malanga Dispensary, Kwa Dadu Dispensary will soon be opened.
“We will not be safe until everyone is safe and health. That is why I decided to have a big chunk of my resources channeled towards addressing healthcare of our people,” he told “Uzalendo News” in an interview.
