03/10/2026
Governor Natembeya pledges Sh7m for Kitale hospital orthopaedic unit as over 100 amputees get artificial limbs.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has committed about kSh7 million to set up a fully equipped orthopaedic unit at the Trans Nzoia County Referral Hospital, so that patients with limb injuries and disabilities can be treated closer to home.Sh2 million will go to equipments immediately, while Sh5 million will be used to upgrade the facility.
The Governor made the announcement while touring the hospital, where more than 100 amputees from Trans Nzoia and neighbouring counties were fitted with artificial limbs during an outreach run with VisAbility (Swiss Ability Kenya), the Catholic Diocese of Kitale and the county Department of Health.
Mr Natembeya said he wants the hospital to become a leading orthopaedic centre for patients from Turkana, West Pokot and Bungoma as well. He said local staff would be trained so that within a year the centre can run on its own and train others.
He challenged health workers to be "agents of change", saying that helping someone walk again is a life-changing service. He also urged patients to keep conditions such as diabetes under control, and proposed using insurance cover to keep the unit running.
County Secretary Truphosa Amere said supporting people with disabilities is a moral and social duty and a divine calling. She said prayers are welcome, but the needy also require food, healthcare and aids such as crutches.
Health CEC Christopher Lorot promised to keep rolling out policies that move from words to real help for marginalised residents. Lands CEC Pius Gumo and Gender CEC Eliud Tormoi said the same.
Director of Medical Services Dr Isaac Kisiang'ani Babu said the county is deepening ties with the Catholic Church and international partners to keep such programmes going. "By moving from simple distribution to building local capacity, the government is not only giving immediate aid but also creating infrastructure that will serve the community for years," he said.
Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Vyuntine Mukhwana thanked the Governor for his support and said the outreach had been a success.
VisAbility representative and National Chair of the Association of Orthopaedic Prosthetics Kenneth Kipyegon said it was the largest outreach in the organisation's history. The team had aimed to help 50 people but fitted 100, even though more than 150 had asked for help.
He said the lightweight, affordable "below-the-knee" limbs use simple Swiss technology. A team of five officers, with volunteers and students, completed all the fittings in two weeks. Patients also came from West Pokot, Turkana, Kisumu and Uasin Gishu.
Mr Kipyegon said each county in the region is estimated to have 1,200 to 2,000 amputees in need, and the Kitale model could be copied elsewhere. VisAbility will keep working with the county to equip the local department.
Caro Nalianya of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale said people who had lived with amputations for years are now undergoing rehabilitation and walking again. She called on the county and national governments to make the support a long-term effort, not a one-off event.
Beneficiaries Julius Macharia from Kesogon in Cherang'any, Everlyne Ambia Serebwa from Kiminini and John Oroto Mbaye from Lodwar said the limbs will let them return to their daily work. They asked both governments to set aside funds through the health and gender departments and to review the high cost of prosthetics, which keeps many amputees immobile.