-Biamah Town residents in dire need of safe drinking water
PHOTO: View from the creak currently being used as source of water (Left) and the damaged hand pump (Right)
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Residents of Biamah in Kpaii District #1, Bong County, who are in dire need of safe drinking water and healthcare services, have called on the Liberian government and philanthropist organizations to urgently come to their aid.
Their only functional hand pump is now damage and as a result, citizens of the town are currently drinking from a nearby creak in the central Bong County, situated nearly 170 kilometers from Monrovia.
Biamah town is located in Kpaii district, the first biggest town on the left from Forquelleh junction, with an estimated populations of 800 plus.
The hand pump, according to the town’s inhabitants, was constructed by former Bong County electoral district #4 Representative, Lester Mulbah Paye.
A resident of the town, Moses Kollie said since the establishment of the town in the late 60’s accessing safe drinking water and healthcare had always difficult.
According to Moses, they usually fetch drinking water from a nearby creek, which has resulted into many locals coming down with diarrhea and other water-borne diseases.
Mr. Kollie noted that due to serious pipe-borne diseases and diarrhea, they decided to dig a well that will help to minimize the occurrences of these water-borne diseases and save the lives of children and women in the town.
He added that there are still problems in the town in terms of safe drinking water. “The one well cannot serve all the houses in the town, and even it can get dirty and dry during the dry season, and we have to get back to drinking from the creek water,” he said.
The residents of the area made special references to the months of January, February, and March, when they said local go into the bushes looking for safe drinking water.
They therefore, called on the government and other humanitarian organizations to come to their assistance.
“In order to save lives in this district, the government and organizations need to help us at least to rehabilitate the only hand pump here that is currently damage or construct some hand pumps in our town so that citizens can have access to safe drinking water.”
“We are suffering. When you wake up, you start to inquire about where you should go to get water. When you get a bucket, you must use it sparingly because it is hard to get,” one of the residents of the area, Nathaniel Dolo said.
“On 28 July 2010, through Resolution 64/292, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realisation of all human rights.” https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/human_right_to_water.shtml
Regarding the health condition in the area, Mr. Nathaniel Dolo explained that it is one of the challenging issues affecting the town and noted that pregnant women and the sick are transported to C. B. Dumbar or Phebe Hospital in the County.
“When a big belly is at pains in the town, she has to be carried in a hammock to C. B. Dumbar or Phebe, and the road is very far,” he said.