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IMC Temporarily Suspends Medical Services in Eldoret after Second Politician is killed
31 Jan 2008 14:08:00 GMT
 Source: International Medical Corps (IMC) - USA
Website: Website: http://www.imcworldwide.org

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More than 300 displaced people are staying on the church grounds. After the last few days dozens more arrived after overnight fighting
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More than 300 displaced people are staying on the church grounds. After the last few days dozens more arrived after overnight fighting
Copyright 2008 International Medical Corps. Photo by Natalia Cieslik

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Eldoret, Kenya - After a second member of the Kenyan opposition party was shot on Thursday in the western town of Eldoret International Medical Corps suspended services in the area. The seven member mobile medical team was treating displaced people inside a church about five kilometers out of town when the shooting occurred.

"We will resume medical services as soon as the security situation allows us to return to the displaced settlements," says Dr. Jeff Goodman, medical adviser with the IMC emergency response team. "People have been living in difficult conditions for weeks now and their health is affected by this."

The IMC emergency response coordinator in the clinic said more and more people came running into the church when they heard about the killing. The small building has housed more than 300 people over the last weeks that have fled fighting or were forced out of their homes during recent post-election violence.

When the news of the attack spread, the Eldoret city center emptied within minutes and businesses shut down completely. Police say that the crime is not politically motivated and called Kenyans to remain calm over the incident. At least one business was set ablaze.

International Medical Corps is running medical clinics around Eldoret where tens of thousands have been displaced. About 15,000 are currently settling in the city's showground but the majority of people are staying in small camps, churches and other locations in the countryside.

IMC medical staff had seen 104 patients at the church and another 52 were waiting when the clinic had to be closed for security reasons. Most of the patients there suffer from upper respiratory infections. Other prevalent conditions are malaria and diarrhea. The majority of displaced lost all of their belongings and are now sleeping without blankets and mosquito nets.

Efforts to assist the 250,000 displaced Kenyans have been hampered by lack of security in many areas.

Contact in Eldoret: Natalia Cieslik +254 727714837 Dr. Jeff Goodman +254 722401788




[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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Opposition supporters burn vehicles and block the road during a protest in Kisumu, western Kenya, as a police officer shot dead an opposition legislator on January 31, 2008, the second killed ...


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Last updated:Thu Jan 31 17:12:36 2008