For most residents along the Ngata stretch, the sound of loud bangs and screeching brakes are all too familiar. Echoes of sirens often mark the grim aftermath of yet another road accident.

In my line of work, I have unfortunately responded to three accidents along this stretch this year alone.

Each response reveals haunting scenes of wreckage, where dreams are shattered in an instant.

The journey always leads us to the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital's orthopaedic wards, where the stark reality unfolds. Patients lie in agony, their broken limbs and haunted expressions telling harrowing tales of survival.

Within the compound, there is a building meant specifically for these patients—a trauma centre that could have made a significant difference. Instead, it stands abandoned, a distant memory of what might have been if it had been completed.

Some parts of the trauma centre have been eaten up by mould. Photo taken on October 30, 2024.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

According to the Collins dictionary, a trauma centre is a hospital that provides emergency treatment to physical injuries.

These centres are equipped with advanced resources and personnel, including trauma surgeons, emergency physicians, and specialized nursing staff, to handle critical situations such as accidents, falls, and gunshot wounds.

This particular trauma centre was conceptualized in 2010 by the late former President Mwai Kibaki, during a time where numerous accidents plagued the Nakuru-Eldoret highway, particularly along the Ngata-Sobea-Salgaa-Sachangwan stretch—a stretch darkened by its reputation for accidents.

The trauma centre was intended to serve the countless patients arriving at the hospital due to road carnage.

Fast forward 14 years later, and the building remains incomplete, primarily due to inadequate funding. According to the Nakuru County website, the Trauma Centre was commissioned in 2012 by President Kibaki at a cost of Sh. 89.9 million.

The government, through the Ministry of Special Programs, allocated Sh 63 million, while the Ministry of Health was meant to contribute Sh. 20 million from the proceeds of the Sachangwani/Nakumatt Fire Fundraiser, which raised a total of Sh 70 million.

Fast forward to February 13 last year, President William Ruto promised to complete the stalled Trauma Centre.

This commitment came after Governor Susan Kihika highlighted the issue during a tour of the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital with the President.

Over the past 12 years, countless accidents have occurred along the Ngata-Sobea-Salgaa-Sachangwan stretch, underscoring the necessity of this trauma centre to provide accident victims—especially those with severe injuries—a fighting chance.

Some of the window panes are missing from the trauma centre building. Photo taken on October 30, 2024.

Photo credit: BRET SANYA/MTAA WANGU

Mtaa Wangu visited the stalled project at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital.

The building that is right next to the new Out Patient Complex with the Mortuary right behind it, remains deserted surrounded with the iron sheets that act as the perimeter wall

Although the structure looks complete, there are frames with missing windows.

In a phone interview, Francis Kiiru, says it’s unfortunate for such a critical infrastructure to go that long without being completed.

“I reside in Molo and every so often we hear of gruesome accidents that take place along the Nakuru- Eldoret highway especially at the Salgaa- Ngata stretch. To see a key facility that would have really helped in saving the lives of these road accident victims lie bare and incomplete is really sad,” he says.

On her part, Ann Nyokabi says the trauma centre in particular was very critical and would have gone a long way in ensuring better health care for the whole county.

"14 years is quite a long time to go without having such a project being completed. There was money set aside for this project and now that it has stalled the parties concerned need to come out and highlight clearly the reasons why this is so. Therefore, the aspect of accountability is a must," she says.

For now, the facility remains a pipe dream.

Trauma centre: The future lifeline for those broken on Nakuru roads

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Reitz Mureithi