Nakuru: After more than 14 years of abandonment, the Nakuru Trauma Centre, located at the County Referral and Teaching Hospital, is set to be revived. This follows a construction takeover by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in collaboration with the County Government of Nakuru.
According to Kenya News Agency, the 100 million project was initially launched in 2011. However, just a year later, the contractor abandoned the site despite having been paid over Sh30 million. The project, intended to provide a specialized facility for accident victims, was originally slated for completion by the end of 2013 but was left incomplete.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Defence Cabinet Secretary Ms. Soipan Tuya emphasized the project’s importance for improving the treatment of critically injured road accident victims along the notorious Nairobi-Nakuru-Kisumu-Eldoret Highway. She noted that the lack of a proper facility for nearly 15 years had limited the survival chances of many accident victims.
Governor Susan Kihika stated that President William Ruto had issued a Presidential Directive mandating the KDF to revive and reconstruct the Trauma Centre. The redesigned facility will feature a 57-bed capacity, an expanded Intensive Care Unit, trauma wards, a laboratory, and two theatres, once completed under KDF supervision.
The history of the Trauma Centre dates back to January 31, 2009, when a tragic oil tanker accident on the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway resulted in over 130 fatalities. In response, former President Mwai Kibaki commissioned the centre to aid road accident victims. Despite initial funding, the project stalled, leaving it incomplete for over a decade.
President Ruto’s intervention has reignited hope, with KDF engineers, quantity surveyors, and architects having completed site assessments. Governor Kihika emphasized the need for the Trauma Centre to address emergencies and trauma cases effectively. The project had previously faced administrative challenges and funding issues but is now moving forward under new leadership.
The KDF is also involved in the construction of Olenguruone Stadium and the completion of Afraha Stadium, both aimed at enhancing sports facilities in the region. Governor Kihika highlighted the potential for these projects to foster community development and create employment opportunities.
The groundbreaking ceremony by KDF was scheduled for October 15 but was postponed following the passing of former Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga.
