Hospitals Record Surge in Road Accident Victims

Kenyan hospitals are reporting a worrying rise in admissions of road traffic crash victims, particularly motorcycle-related injuries. According to recent data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), over 21,000 people have been involved in road crashes this year, with more than 6,900 suffering slight injuries and nearly 9,000 sustaining serious injuries.
The burden on hospitals is especially acute in busy trauma units. In Nairobi and other urban centres, major referral hospitals are reporting that a growing share of their orthopedic and emergency ward capacity is being taken up by road accident victims — many of whom arrive with severe trauma from boda‑boda (motorcycle) crashes.
At Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu, medical teams are grappling with a high number of post‑crash patients after a major traffic accident that killed 26 people. According to the Ministry of Health, the survivors are in need of orthopedic and neurosurgical interventions, and surgeons are working extra hours to clear the backlog.
Health policymakers are calling for urgent action to relieve pressure on hospitals. Proposals include improving post-crash emergency response systems, scaling up trauma care capacity, and implementing better road safety measures—particularly for vulnerable road users like motorcyclists and pedestrians.