The government has been urged to put up mobile Covid-19 vaccination centres in Northeastern region in order to reach more people.
Lagdera parliamentary aspirant Abdikadir Hussein Mohammed said due to the vastness of the region, residents were being forced to walk or travel for many kilometres to reach vaccination centres.
Speaking to the Star on Monday, Mohammed said many people are unable to get jabs because of the long distance.
"From Garissa town to Lagdera is approximately 150km yet our people are forced to walk for that distance in order to get vaccinated," Mohammed said.
He noted that a high number of people were losing their lives due to the virus adding that no day ends without a person succumbing to the disease.
“Last week, I attended three burials and all the deaths were due to Covid-19,” he said.
He further urged the government to carry out a mass testing exercise to establish the number of infections in the area.
Mohammed said some people were not aware of the ongoing countrywide vaccinations despite the government's efforts to get citizens inoculated.
"The government should create awareness to these people especially in local languages for them to understand,” he said.
He added that there are misinterpretations that the jabs make people infertile and that expectant mothers should not get vaccinated.
Mohammed said residents were not observing Covid-19 safety protocols especially wearing masks and keeping social distance.
"It is rare for them to even sanitise as they lack sanitisers," he said.
Apart from Corona, Lagdera people are facing drought.
Mohammed urged the government to provide water in the area to address the challenge.
"Many people queue on the water lines without observing social distance,” he said.
The aspirant said so many people do not wash their hands regularly as one way of fighting the disease because there is not enough water.
He further urged the government to create isolation centres in nearby dispensaries.
He said the region has only one isolation centre at the Garissa General Hospital.
“The government should also provide oxygen in Modogashe subcounty hospital so that the people close to the area can benefit,” he said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
