Somali checkpoints 'deny' women and children access to medical services

Military checkpoints from the conflict in and around the ongoing Somali conflict are preventing women and children from accessing medical care, the United Nation's children's fund representative in the country has warned.

Families in the Somali capital Mogadishu are often being stopped and turned back from checkpoints, especially at night, claimed Christian Balslev-Olesen, the UNICEF representative to Somalia.

At the same time, doctors and health workers have been prevented from reaching their workplaces to help those in need, while the barriers have also worked against children hoping to access the city's dwindling education services.

"UNICEF is deeply concerned and distressed that checkpoints and roadblocks are posing an additional challenge to wounded or sick children and women as they try to get medical assistance," said Mr Balslev-Olesen.

"We are therefore appealing to everyone involved in this conflict to allow women and children safe passage across the city so that they can access basic, life-saving medical services," he added.

The European Union Council recently called for urgent action over the worsening condition in Somalia, with Xinhua reporting a Somali human rights group has put the number of civilians killed by the conflict so far this year at 6,000.

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