Chief attends to patients as the only nurse flees village

An assistant chief in Turkana County has been forced to act as nurse at a dispensary in Ng’ilukia as the only medical officer posted to the health facility has fled due to fear of attacks by bandits.

Mr Wilson Lokuruka is also the only police reservist in Kamuge village in the dreaded Suguta Valley.

More than 40 police officers and reservists were killed in the valley in November 2012 by bandits, making it one of the most feared places in the country.

Mr Lokuruka said other reservists had left the area to safer grounds to secure their livestock and families from frequent bandit attacks.

The assistant chief told the Nation that the nurse who was posted there by the county government was not a local but had served the villagers without a problem until banditry attacks became rampant.

“Due to insecurity worsened by frequent gun battles, the nurse fled to Lokori Town in Turkana East. We usually communicate and meet when I ride to Lokori to request for more medicine and every time he guides me on prescriptions for various ailments,” the administrator said on Monday.

WATCH PEOPLE SUFFER

Mr Lokuruka said he could not watch his people suffer yet he could help with the little skills he had. He said he had gained some knowledge on medicine after working as a community health worker with various NGOs in the region.

“It will be a big shame for an administrator to flee his village because of insecurity or any other factor. I’d rather be killed while serving my people,” he said.

Mr Lokinyi Akai, a resident, described the assistant chief as a God-sent, saying he was always available to help even at night.

However, Mr Akai urged the national government to recruit more security officers in the region to address insecurity that had forced them to primarily rely on relief food.

“Political leaders from both Turkana and Pokot communities have the key to coexistence as those terrorising peace are mostly voters,” he said.