If proactive action is not taken to arrest the deteriorating health conditions at Kroobay, it would spell doom for residents of that community as reported cases of diarrhea, vomiting, malaria, malnutrition, and other contagious diseases are constantly recorded at the center.
In an effort to identify what has gone wrong, Awoko caught up with one of the Health Officers at the Community Health Center, Gibrilla Timbo, who confirmed that there is an increase in cases of diarrhea and vomiting and other contagious diseases after the flooding took place.
He said that the Health Center serve some thirty-one thousand three hundred and thirty nine (31,339) patients within the Kroobay community and its immediate environs with one thousand two hundred and fifty six (1,256) children below one year; five thousand five hundred and fifty-seven (5,557) children under five years, one thousand three hundred and eighty-one; (1,381) pregnant women five thousand five hundred and eighty-eight (5,588) non- pregnant cases and six thousand nine hundred and seventy (6,970) women of child bearing age.
In spite of the appalling health conditions in the community, residents have condescended to live comfortably with pigs amidst filth, poor drainage and run-down houses.
As part of their intervention, Gibril Timbo explained that they have provided antenatal services for pregnant women; EPI services for children between one and five years; offered nutritional services ; monitored growth and development in children and also prevent mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.
By Solomon Rogers