Military to help complete stalled Nakuru Referral Hospital trauma centre
ANNE MWALE-KNA
On the morning of January 31, 2009, an oil tanker that had overturned at Sachangwan along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway burst into flames along the Nakuru-Eldoret highway at Sachangwan, claiming more than 130 lives.
Two years later, former President Mwai Kibaki unveiled a plan to improve the treatment of critically injured road accident victims along the notorious highway.
He commissioned a Sh90-million trauma centre that aimed at easing the pain of crash victims. With the initial funding of Sh60 million allocated to the project, the unfinished trauma centre complex situated opposite the hospital mortuary stalled a year into its construction, and for the past 14 years the incomplete facility has been fenced off with iron sheets.
However, an intervention by President Dr. William Ruto has now offered a ray of hope for the stalled project after engineers, quantity surveyors and architects from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) began site assessments of the PGH Trauma Centre prior to formally taking completion of the stalled project.
The KDF team led by Major G D Roba that was accompanied on the site assessment visit by County Secretary and Head of Public Service Dr. Samuel Mwaura and Nakuru City Manager Gitau Thabanja is expected to compile and forward a detailed report to the President to inform the next phase of completing the three projects.
Dr. Mwaura indicated that to facilitate the collaboration, the devolved unit is currently preparing essential documents including structural plans and bills of quantities to guide KDF’s involvement.
The Trauma Center project was set up under the defunct Ministry of Special Programmes to serve accident victims along a dangerous stretch of road on the northern corridor.
The centre was to be equipped with high-dependency and intensive care units, among other amenities, and was to be completed within 12 months according to hospital documentation.
Dr. Mwaura said the proposed trauma center is a viable project that will assist patients with trauma, among other emergencies once completed.
“There are cases of burns, accidents and fire injuries reported at the hospital that would be better handled at the trauma centre. It would be prudent to complete its construction because it would be of great use,” the County Secretary said.
Dr. Mwaura said there were many instances where accident victims could have been saved if they received prompt care from trained medics.
“There are many people who die after being involved in road accidents, while the condition of some worsens for lack of experts to attend to them. This is why it is advisable to complete construction of the center to handle accident victims,” he said.
The building, which is a one-story structure, has a complete roof and walls, but lacks doors, windows, and other essential fittings.