Coast hospital admits 750 victims of road accidents every month

Members of the public mill at the accident scene of an accident involving along Haile Selaisse avenue in Mombasa. [File, Standard] Road crashes continue to be the number one burden at the Coast General Hospital (CGH) with 83 per cent of admissions being accident victims. A report from CGH Orthopaedic Unit indicates that out of 900 admissions into the unit within this year, 747 were related to road traffic incidents. According to CGH Orthopedic Resident Registrar Adan Abdullahi, the hospital receives an average of 75 patients per month, amounting to 900 annually. "About 747, equivalent to 83 per cent of admission to the Orthopaedic Department were due to road traffic crashes. The hospital recorded 153 cases, translating to 17 per cent, due to other causes, he stated. Data shows that half of the casualties from road crashes suffer femur fractures totaling 495, or 55 per cent. Those with open tibia fibular fractures number 297, while other injuries accounted for 108 cases. "Due to ward space constraints, some closed fractures are managed electively through the clinic, although they would benefit from immediate surgery," Dr Abdullahi explained. Motorcycles (boda bodas) and tuktuks were identified as the leading causes of road crashes in Mombasa County and other coastal regions, accounting for 41 and 33 per cent respectively. Pedestrians represented 18 per cent, while motor vehicles contributed eight per cent. "As of last week, we had 36 patients admitted in the orthopedic ward with 30 active and six discharged. Twenty six patients, 72 per cent, due to road crash injuries," Abdullahi added. Other recorded injuries included pathological fractures, falls from heights, paediatric fractures from play, and workplace-related incidents. The data indicated that males were the most affected by road crashes, with 530 cases (71 per cent), while female casualties stood at 164 (22 per cent), and paediatric cases at 52 (7 per cent). Dr Abdullahi indicated the most affected age group in road crashes ranges from 18 to 40 years, with 515 cases recorded. He noted that treating road crash patients is costly, often placing a financial burden on families who struggle to raise funds. "It costs Sh13,000 for theatre fees, while implant fees range from Sh40,000 to SH50,000. Hospital stay, medication, and other expenses will add an extra Sh10,000 to Sh15,000," he explained. "The total surgical cost in the orthopaedic ward ranges between Sh75,000 and Sh80,000. For neurosurgery, a victim will spend Sh100,000, while trauma requiring arthroplasty will cost Sh300,000," Abdullahi noted. Patients without National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) cover often take an average of seven to ten days to secure funds for surgery, leading to delays, whereas NHIF patients typically wait three to five days. Orthopaedic Surgeon Bernard Adhiambo pointed out that the majority of patients admitted to the orthopaedic ward lack NHIF coverage Dr Adhiambo said the absence of NHIF cover creates a substantial financial burden for both the hospital and the community, causing delays in surgical management as patients seek funding. "The hospital sometimes has to waive costs for some patients, which further strains our resources," Adhiambo said. He noted that road crashes peak on weekends and at the end of the month, often due to alcohol intoxication. "Intoxication during month-end contributes to road crashes. People drink and drive recklessly. On Fridays, we discharge patients to create space as the ward fills up on Mondays," he said.

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