(ERGO) – About 706 people have benefited from a medical camp that has been ongoing at IDP camps and the prison in southern Somalia’s Baidoa.
A group of doctors from Tirow Hospital and pharmaceuticals traders in the town partnered to conduct the medical camp.
According to Dr Issack Mohamed, the director of Tirow Hospital, those treated were poor people who live in camps with no health posts.
“In this rainy season, there could be outbreaks of dangerous diseases like malaria, diarrhoea and several others. So we held this camp to reach out to the sick people as we have seen many problems in the camps we visited,” Issack said.
Four treatment and medication sessions have been carried out this month. One of them took place in Baidoa prison, where the doctors treated 26 prisoners, and the others were held in Tosilow, Hanano, Bidanbiday IDP camps.
The expenses were shared by the hospital and pharmaceuticals traders.
Hawo Moalim Abshir was among 203 people, who attended the sessions in Hanano camp last week. Her son and daughter were diagnosed with malaria and treated free of charge.
Hawo, a mother of six boys and three girls, who has been sick for the last six months, was diagnosed with gastritis and given medicine to help her.
“I was unable to sleep at night because of heartburn. We appreciate the efforts of these doctors,” said Hawo, who lives in ADC1 camp.
Hawo attributes her problem to constant hunger, saying she and her husband go to work on empty stomachs.
“We work on people’s farms, I go out for casual jobs early in the morning without getting breakfast,” she said.
Bunow Mohamed Abdi, 50, visited the medical camp to seek help for pain in her knee.
“I have been feeling the pain this year and visited several hospitals where I was asked to pay. I appreciate the efforts of these doctors, they helped me very much,” said Bunow, a mother of four girls and two boys.
Bunow who currently lives in Tosilow camp fled a remote area in Bardale district four years after a severe drought hit her village.
Mohamed Moalim Abdullahi and his three boys and two girls visited the camp and were all diagnosed with malaria.
Mohamed, who lives in Bidanbiday camp, could not afford to go to a private hospital for medication. He commended the move to help the poor in Baidoa’s IDP camps.
