Sunday, October 01, 2006
By Samuel Otieno
Stanadard
Health personnel have been sent to the Kenya/Somalia border to screen refugees coming into the country.
The team from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been sent to Liboi and other border points, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said yesterday.
“More health workers will be provided to ensure proper screening for communicable diseases among the refugees, immunisation and treatment,” said UNHCR spokesperson in
Pagonis said children under the age of five would be screened and treated against polio, measles and tuberculosis.
“This will reinforce the efforts of our health partner, GTZ, which has been carrying out medical screening, providing first aid and giving vaccinations,” she said in a statement.
Pagonis said the there were plans to expand refugees’ camps as more Somalis flock into the country. “We are working to expand the three camps in Dadaab to make room to another 25,000 refugees,” she said.
Pagonis said after screening, UNHCR is transporting the refugees to Dadaab camp, which is hosting more than 134,000 refugees, most of them Somalis.
Pagonis noted that between 200 and 300 Somali refugees are fleeing into North Eastern Kenya daily to escape fighting in south and central
Since the beginning of the year, more than 25,000 Somalis have crossed into the country. Last month alone, more than 5,000 refugees arrived.
Last week, Internal Security minister, Mr John Michuki, said Somali refugees would be vetted while entering into the country.
He said security had been beefed up at the border to prevent influx of illegal weapons from the war-torn
Pagonis also said more than 60 per cent of the refugees who arrived in last month were aged under 18.
The Somalis are fleeing
Pagonis said others were from Baidoa, where the Somali transition Government is based.
Source: Standard, Oct.1, 2006
