Mrs. Zarina Naushad Merali’s remarks

By Verah Mugambi

Mrs. Zarina Naushad Merali was present on 11th May 2022 to witness the opening of the Daycare Centre.

During the launch, Mrs. Zarina reminisced about how the idea of funding a ward was conceived. It was during January 2009, when the country witnessed two major fire disasters: The fuel tanker that exploded at Sachangwan in the Salgaa area along Nakuru Eldoret Highway and another fire at Nakumatt Downtown Supermarket on Kenyatta avenue that resulted in fatalities and caused several critical injuries to survivors.

The injured in these two incidences were rushed to different hospitals, key among them, Kenyatta National Hospital for specialized treatment due to the magnitude of their burns.

“My late husband – Dr. Naushad Merali (May God rest his soul in eternal peace) had been appointed by His Excellency the President the late Honourable Mwai Kibaki to be the Chairman of Nakumatt-Molo Fire Victims Board at that time. My late husband and I visited Kenyatta National Hospital to wish the injured persons well and we were touched by what we saw in the Wards.

“In as much as our Medics at KNH were attending to the victims in a very professional way, there lacked enough beds for them and the majority were sharing the beds”, Mrs Zarina narrated.

“We thought we could do something, however small, to help alleviate some of the problems we witnessed as we went around the wards to see the patients. This is where the idea of donating funds to build this Daycare centre was conceived,” she continued.

“Today I am elated that none other than our President, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta accepted to launch this facility. We, as a family, consider it a great honour and we don’t take this for granted. .” .. Mrs. Zarina

“Today I am elated that none other than our President, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta accepted to launch this facility. We, as a family, consider it a great honour and we don’t take this for granted. From our tour of the facility, we have noted that the Daycare Centre is well equipped with state-of-the-art theatres to offer a wide range of ambulatory surgeries with well-trained and dedicated personnel. Thank you KNH,” concluded Mrs. Zarina.

The Zarina Naushad Merali Daycare Centre will facilitate outpatient or same-day surgeries for patients visiting the hospital. These are surgeries that do not require hospitalization before and after an operation.

PHOTO | COURTESY

Mrs. Zarina Naushad Merali and President Uhuru Kenyatta as they walk towards Zarina Naushad Merali Daycare Centre.