Kirinyaga County is set to revolutionize emergency care system with the construction of a post-crash trauma center at Sagana Sub-County Hospital.
The new cutting-edge facility is being constructed with the aim of providing rapid, life-saving treatment to accident victims mainly along Murang’a-Sagana, Kenol-marua, Sagana-Kagio-Kutus and Makutano-Embu highways among others.
The groundbreaking project that is expected to be complete by the end of the current financial year is a transformative approach to emergency medical care and will improve the survival rate of trauma victims in the region.
Speaking while on a project assessment tour of the project, the County Executive Committee Member for health George Karoki said that due to the busy nature of our roads and many accidents that occur in our busy highways, a faster and more effective emergency response system has always been a need and that is what this facility has come to address.
He said that the two storey facility will have surgical theaters, dedicated diagnostic imaging centers equipped with cutting-edge technology all aimed at enabling the fastest possible response to accident victims.
“This is not just another hospital as it is designed to cater to the specific needs of crash victims, who currently get referred to other facilities for specialized care” said Karoki noting that its strategic location along the busy Kenol-Sagana-Marua dual carriage will enable it respond to accidents and medical emergencies, providing immediate care cutting time between the accident and medical intervention that can be the difference between life and death.
He said that the new facility will add to the existing capacity at the Sagana Subcounty hospital thus raising it to a level 4 hospital, noting that it will have increased bed capacity to around 95 beds, a six ICU bed unit, a six bed HDU, a CT Scan, MRI among other amenities.
He noted that the hospital will also have the required human resource for health in order to offer comprehensive care to the patients, hailing the good working relationship between the executive, the assembly and the community in enabling the realization of development projects in the county.
Governor Anne Waiguru has said that the trauma center, which has been realized through collaboration between the National and the County Government, is part of the County Government’s elaborate program of improving healthcare service delivery to all the county residents.
The project is been running along the upgrading of Kimbimbi and Kianyaga hospitals from level 3 to level 4 facilities and comes just two years after upgrading of Kerugoya County and Referral Hospital from Level 4 to Level 5.
The county government has also been enhancing primary healthcare through construction and operationalization of dispensaries across the county, with 13 new ones having been opened with 7 others lined up for opening.
Waiguru also thanked the members of the county assembly and the community for supporting the executive in its development implementation agenda.
Local residents and leaders have hailed the trauma center and are looking forward to its completion and operationalization. They say that they have witnessed loss of many lives as a result of accidents along the busy highways especially those involving motorcyclists.
They say the facility will not just be another hospital but will be a lifeline.Kariti Member of County Assembly, Jeremia Makimi, said that the hospital is very strategic in catering for accident victims especially along the Kenol-Marua highway, which he said had claimed 53 victims in the last two years.
He noted that though the dualling of the highway is expected to reduce the number of accidents, many accidents are still reported especially those involving motor cyclists.
“Many accident victims are given first Aid at the hospital but in case they require specialized treatment, they have to be referred to Kerugoya Hospital or Nyeri which causes delayed lifesaving care,” said the MCA.
He thanked Governor Waiguru for the well thought collaboration that has made it possible to have the trauma center at Sagana Hospital.
Francis Maina, a fruit vendor in Sagana Town said that the area witnesses many motorcycle accidents with many of them claiming lives thus the emergency center is highly anticipated as a relief to that challenge.
His sentiments were echoed by Josphat Kibia, a pastor at Born Again Church in Sagana who said the trauma center will greatly relief the area residents who have been victims of accidents especially at blackspots such as Kibirigwi and Kiangwaci many of whom risk to lose their lives as they are being transported for medical care in Kerugoya or Nyeri.
Once complete and operational the center will be setting a new standard for emergency response in Kirinyaga County and the neighboring counties.
