NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) is preparing to make medical history with its first craniofacial reconstruction surgery, set for September 25, 2025, on a seven-year-old boy who sustained life-altering injuries in a bandit attack.
The patient, identified as Ian Baraka, was shot in the face in 2023, leaving him with a disfigured jaw and extensive facial damage.
Surgeons at KNH stabilised him in the Intensive Care Unit before undertaking initial life-saving procedures.
At a press briefing on Thursday, KNH Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Andrew Okiriamu detailed the complexity of Ian’s case.
He said the bullet tore through the lower part of the child’s face, exiting through the anterior and damaging his eyes.
“We first stabilised him in the ICU, then took him to the theatre and reconstructed part of his lower jaw. The upper jaw posed greater challenges,” Dr. Okiriamu said.
The upcoming surgery will use patient-specific implants and prosthetics engineered to expand as Ian grows.
This innovation will allow his jaw to develop naturally while promoting bone fusion in critical areas. The procedure also aims to restore structure, function, and facial symmetry.
KNH’s Senior Director for Medical Services, Dr. Joel Lessan, emphasised the hospital’s commitment to the boy’s long-term recovery.
“We are prepared to stay with this young man throughout his life, working to restore as much function as possible,” he said.
The operation will bring together a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anesthetists, and rehabilitation specialists in a procedure expected to last several hours.
Post-surgery, Ian will undergo extensive rehabilitation and follow-up care to support recovery and facial growth.
If successful, the operation will mark a milestone in Kenya’s medical field, opening doors for advanced reconstructive surgeries for trauma survivors and patients with complex craniofacial conditions.
