By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
November 21, 2025 - The sharp wail of sirens pierced the dawn silence on Friday, sending nurses and staff at Garissa Referral Hospital sprinting toward the emergency bay. It was all part of a meticulously planned simulation designed to test the facility's readiness for mass-casualty incidents.
Staff, seemingly caught off guard, raced toward incoming ambulances carrying "casualties" on stretchers, ready to receive patients in a frenzy of organized urgency. According to officials, the drill simulated a bus struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) on the Garissa-Dadaab Road, with approximately 30 casualties in tow.
Dr. Ken Ozoilo, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)'s global surgeon, emphasized that disasters, when they strike, bring waves of chaos and confusion that can sometimes lead to unnecessary deaths.
He described the exercise as the culmination of two years of support from the international agency to Garissa Referral Hospital. "From this drill, it's clear the hospital is quite prepared in the event of a disaster," he noted. "I am very happy with the level of cooperation and collaboration shown across all aspects of the response," Dr. Ozoilo added. "It was a true multi-agency effort, involving partners from various sectors."
For about 20 minutes, the scene ground to a standstill as nurses dashed up and down, pushing, shoving, and receiving patients from the ambulances in a whirlwind of activity. Nearby locals, mistaking the commotion for a genuine emergency, gathered in confusion, perhaps wondering where these sudden casualties had come from.
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Dr. Simiyu Tabu, a consulting surgeon at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and an ICRC volunteer, explained that the exercise was meant to rigorously test the referral hospital's capacity to handle mass casualties. "From security at the gate—controlling vehicles and human traffic—to the triage process categorizing patients for immediate, delayed, or unfortunately lost care, everything went smoothly," he said.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Mr. Hussein Buro praised his team's preparedness. "Our staff are well-equipped to manage mass casualties," he said, while appreciating the ICRC's role in training personnel for such unforeseeable critical events. "Challenges are always there," he added. "Sometimes we might not be able to handle certain cases.
That's why, in today's drill, we had to refer some patients to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for specialized treatment." Kenya Red Cross County Coordinator Daud Ahmed Shale underscored the drill's broader purpose: not only to gauge the readiness of frontline responders but also to identify and shore up any lingering weaknesses.
"As Kenya Red Cross, we pledge to work hand-in-hand with all healthcare workers, including the county government, to ensure a seamless response in case of disaster," he said.
