NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 31 – The Kenya Paraplegic Organisation (KPO) is seeking to build a Rehabilitation and Trauma Centre in the country at a cost of Sh250 million.
This would be the first and only centre in East and Central Africa and will be seeking to reduce the rate of traumas of spinal cord injuries in Kenya.
KPO Advisory Board Chairperson Ida Odinga said on Tuesday that the funds to build the state of the art facility will be raised through an initiative dubbed ‘one million people campaign’ which will seek to raise Sh100 from each person contacted.
“I was indeed very excited as I knew this was going to be the most amazing and fulfilling project in my life. I knew it was achievable and all you have to do is to put aside some little funds aside for the cause,” she said.
The Prime Minister’s wife called on all Kenyans to join the course and support the initiative.
“I am appealing particularly to my friends wherever they are, to people of good will and to all the friends of Kenya Paraplegic Organisation to assist in the putting up of this centre,” she stated.
Speaking during the same event, the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission Director Patrick Lumumba stressed the need for the country to pay more attention to the plight of people with disabilities.
Mr Lumumba said that other than improve the livelihoods of people living with disabilities, this will also paint Kenya as a caring nation.
“The true test of a civilised nation is how that nation treats her women; how that nation treats its people with disabilities and how that nation treats her marginalised people,” he stated.
He emphasised the need for the speedy construction of the Rehabilitation and Trauma Centre.
“We are just being modest by saying we want one million. There are 20 million subscribers to the various telephone lines,” he said.
“If only half of them could be moved by the heart of generosity and they paid only Sh100 for this cause, this hospital would be completed in less than ten months,” he added.
Today, it is estimated that over 250 people with traumas of spinal cord injuries are in need of attention at any one given time and yet, there lacks a facility to provide such a service.
It costs between Sh7 million to Sh30 million and more depending on the level of injury to treat and fully rehabilitate one individual; abroad.
According the KPO Executive Director, Timothy Wanyonyi, this was too much for anyone to afford.
He pointed out that the centre will bring the services closer to home and provide a relief to people suffering from this condition.
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