Boniface Kariuki in Critical Condition After Gunshot Injury – KNH

KNH Chief Executive Officer William Sigilai.[COURTESY]

A trader is in critical condition at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head during protests in Nairobi’s Central Business District on Tuesday, June 17.

The patient, Boniface Kariuki, referred to KNH at 3:16 PM, arrived in a critical state and was immediately placed on life support.

A CT scan revealed that the bullet had struck the left side of his head. A multidisciplinary surgical team, led by Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr Sam Njiru, successfully removed the bullet during a two-hour operation.

“Upon arrival at the Accident and Emergency Centre, he was noted to be critically ill with a wound on the left side of his head, resulting in bleeding and evidence of severe injury,” said KNH Chief Executive Officer William Sigilai.

The patient was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where he remains under mechanical ventilation and round-the-clock observation. While his condition remains critical, he is currently alive and stable, according to KNH officials.

The emergency response was led by Dr Janet Sugut, who stabilized the patient upon arrival.

“The patient was then prepared for emergency surgery. At around 8:50 p.m., a multidisciplinary team led by neurosurgeon Dr. Sam Njiru conducted a complex operation that lasted about two hours,” Sigilai added.

“During the procedure, an object believed to be a bullet was removed. The patient was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where he is being cared for.”

KNH reported receiving 16 patients related to the protest unrest. Injuries ranged from gunshot wounds to blunt trauma.

Of these, seven patients were admitted for further treatment, nine were treated and discharged, two have undergone surgery, and four are scheduled for surgical procedures today.

One patient remains unidentified after sustaining a skull fracture, reportedly from an assault.