By Correspondent | Wajir Today | Saturday, 22 November 2025
The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), on Thursday staged unannounced mass-casualty simulation in Garissa, sending the Garissa County Referral Hospital into an unexpected emergency response mode.
The exercise, designed to mirror a real-world disaster, took place without prior notice to frontline medical staff. Ambulances with blaring sirens stormed the hospital gates, drawing crowds of confused residents who initially believed a major tragedy had occurred. Police were forced to disperse the gathering as the mock crisis escalated.
The drill simulated a bus struck by an improvised explosive device (IED) along the Garissa–Dadaab Road, reportedly resulting in about 30 casualties. Hospital workers, caught completely off guard, rushed to the emergency bay armed with stretchers as victims played by trained volunteers began arriving in waves.
For nearly 20 minutes, the facility was thrown into controlled chaos. Nurses sprinted between wards, emergency staff triaged ‘patients’, and ambulances made repeated rounds into the compound. Outside, bewildered locals attempted to understand the sudden influx of casualties before being informed it was a drill.
Garissa County Red Cross Coordinator, Daud Ahmed, said the surprise element was vital for assessing real-time reaction capacity.
“The aim was to evaluate the hospital’s ability to mount a coordinated response under pressure and identify any weaknesses,” he said.
He added that an emergency command centre, blood donation tent, and other critical units were established on-site to simulate full disaster conditions.
“As Kenya Red Cross, we pledge to work closely with health workers and the county government to ensure seamless response in case of a real disaster.”
Dr Simiyu Tabu, a consultant surgeon at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and an ICRC volunteer, praised the hospital’s performance.
“The exercise tested how well the referral hospital could receive mass casualties from security controlling the gate to triage categorising immediate, delayed and non-survivable cases. Everything went smoothly,” he noted.
Garissa County Referral Hospital’s acting CEO, Dr Hussein Buro, acknowledged that while staff are well trained for mass-casualty events, challenges remain.
“Sometimes we may not be able to handle certain cases. Today, as in real situations, we had to refer some patients to Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment,” he said, thanking the ICRC for its continuous training support.
ICRC global surgeon specialist, Kenneth Nnaetio, said the drill marked the culmination of extensive training given to hospital staff and regional security agencies.
“Mass-casualty events are chaotic and overwhelming. Today’s drill tested preparedness levels, highlighted gaps, and will guide improvements going forward,” he said.
