An ultra- modern trauma center is set to open its doors at Nyabondo in Kisumu County to serve over 5 million people from the Nyanza region.
The Sh. 1.1 billion facility constructed by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) as part of the rehabilitation of Isebania-Kisii-Ahero road is set to revolutionize healthcare in the area.
The facility constructed through support from the Africa Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Kenya targets to assist accident victims along the busy highway at the same time shorten the distance patients in need of specialised treatment from the area travel to get services.
Project Engineer James Muma said the one storey building housed at Nyabondo Mission Hospital has a 150 bed capacity and has been fitted with modern facilities to enhance access to quality medical care in the area.
Some of the facilities, he said include a 6 bed Intensive care Unit (ICU), a High Dependency Unit (HDU), two theatres, CT Scan machines, MRI machines and an oxygen generation plant.
The state of the art equipment costing Sh. 800 million, he said will boost capacity for Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira counties in management of specialised cases.
This, he added will ease pressure on Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital (KTRH) and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret where most of the patients requiring specialised treatment in the area are taken.
Addressing the media at the facility today Eng. Muma disclosed that through the project each county has received a fully equipped ambulance to facilitate movement of patients to the facility.
Construction and installation of the equipment, he added, was 86 per cent complete saying that the remaining fittings are expected to be in place soon before it is opened to the public.
“We expect the remaining equipment to be delivered and fixed soon so that this facility is opened within 90 days,” he said.
St. Joseph’s Nyabondo Catholic Church Father Francis Onyach lauded the government for the multi-million investment saying the effects shall be felt across the region.
The church which will co-manage the facility with the government, he said was encountering challenges at the main Nyabondo Mission Hospital which the trauma center shall help address.
The 173 km Isebania-Kisii-Ahero road, which connects Northern Tanzania to Uganda and South Sudan through Kisumu, was a nightmare for motorists before the rehabilitation.
Numerous accidents along the entire stretch have now been reduced by the widening and re-carpeting of the road.
By Chris Mahandara
