GARISSA – North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno has confirmed that 80 percent of major national government infrastructure, healthcare, and administrative projects across Garissa County are now complete.
Speaking in Garissa town during an official inspection tour of ongoing government initiatives, the Regional Commissioner assured local residents that key transformative developments are progressing rapidly to bolster regional growth and service delivery.
Highlighting major administrative breakthroughs, Regional Commissioner Otieno announced that the reopened Garissa Passport Office has dramatically improved service delivery since February 2025.
Over 16,000 residents across the North Eastern region have successfully received their travel documents, with processing times dropping to under five days. The localized facility eliminates the financial and logistical burden on residents who previously had to undertake long, expensive journeys to Nairobi or Mombasa to access immigration services.
On regional infrastructure, Otieno revealed that construction on the strategic Lamu-Garissa-Isiolo Highway is advancing at a high pace, with 85 kilometers already tarmacked. The government guarantees that the roadwork will reach Isiolo Town in the coming months. Beyond boosting trade and transport across the three counties, the finalized highway is expected to enhance security operations and significantly curb militia attacks that have historically affected the remote corridor.
Regarding healthcare, Regional Commissioner Otieno reported that Garissa Level 5 Hospital now reliably serves hundreds of patients daily and has successfully resolved previous blood shortage crises. Under recent operational reforms, the hospital is scheduled for an official upgrade to Level 6 status to further expand its specialized capacity. Garissa Hospital CEO Dr. Mahat Sheikh emphasized that the institution serves an estimated six million people across six counties, noting that nursing staff has expanded from under 100 prior to devolution to over 300 today, alongside a fleet of 15 functional ambulances and Social Health Authority (SHA) coverage reaching six million beneficiaries.
The regional health center has achieved notable success in managing critical illnesses, particularly esophageal cancer and diabetes, allowing many recovered patients to safely return home.
Local residents praised the government for these healthcare improvements, with beneficiary Farhia Abdi Hassan expressing gratitude for continuous diabetes treatment under the SHA scheme, and resident Rosemary Achieng commending the hospital’s specialized medical team for successfully treating her child’s kidney cancer locally.
