Lodwar County and Referral Hospital has confirmed that 12 survivors of the Saturday night Lodwar-Kakuma road accident that claimed 14 lives are in stable condition after responding well to treatment.
Hospital Acting Director Kidalio Ekiru said one survivor who was in the outpatient section left the hospital after treatment, and dispelled reports that there had been a rise in the death toll.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of the lorry that hit a camel in Kakwamunyen lost control of the vehicle before it overturned and landed in a culvert. A total of 27 people and goods destined for various shops were in the lorry.
Serious injuries
Dr Ekiru said that only two survivors had serious injuries. Of the two, who was admitted with spinal injuries, has been referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital for neurosurgical review. The other, a boy aged five years, had chest injuries and difficulty in breathing.
He said the boy was put in the Intensive Care Unit for 24 hours, where he has since recovered and is now in the general ward.
Turkana Central Sub-County Police Commander Lemmy Njiru said: “At the moment, we have not even interrogated the driver, who is yet to recover from the chest pains he was complaining about.”
Reliable transport
Residents of the county say lorries are still their most reliable public means of transportation in the northern part of Turkana, but they usually carry essential cargo too. The situation has resulted in accidents, frequent breakdowns, and long hours of travel.
"It is sad that we lost many people in the accident. We appeal to police officers to always be on the lookout to ensure vehicles plying the route are in good condition and their drivers are professional," said Ms Akiru Asekon, whose rural home is Kibish town — 300 kilometres from Lodwar.
Before the Saturday night accident, on January 27, a lorry carrying Turkana County Government relief food overturned near Lokitaung junction on the Lodwar - Kakuma road. It was loaded with food supplies that included maize and cooking oil.
