The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) will lead a multi-sectoral health information and behaviour change campaign aimed at strengthening primary healthcare and improving community health outcomes across the Lake Region.
The initiative, dubbed Health Information and Behaviour Change, will cover 14 counties and bring together actors across the healthcare delivery chain, from community units and county facilities to referral centres and the media, in a coordinated effort to address longstanding gaps in access, awareness and early treatment.
Speaking during a consultative forum with the Kisumu Journalists Network (KJN) in his office on Monday, JOOTRH Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Joshua Okise said weak health information systems and low public awareness continue to delay care-seeking, with many patients presenting at referral facilities when conditions are already advanced.
“Many of the cases we handle at the referral level are preventable. We need a collective approach to bridge the information gap and promote early health-seeking behaviour,” said Dr. Okise, adding that the media will be central to community sensitisation.
He said the programme will prioritise strengthening primary healthcare by supporting lower-level facilities, improving health literacy, and promoting preventive care through targeted communication and outreach.
Drawing from his experience in health financing and system strengthening in Kisumu County, Dr. Okise noted that dispensaries and health centres remain overstretched, often operating with minimal staff and inconsistent drug supplies.
He linked poor health outcomes to broader socio-economic challenges, including poverty and limited access to information, which he said continue to influence how and when communities seek care.
“Strengthening primary healthcare is not just about infrastructure. It is also about empowering communities with the right information so they can make timely decisions,” he said.
Dr Okise emphasised the need for responsible, solution-driven reporting, with proposals to formalise the partnership with the Kisumu Journalists Network (KJN) through a memorandum of collaboration to guide engagement, information sharing and joint initiatives.
The programme, he added, is expected to roll out in the next financial year, positioning JOOTRH at the centre of a regional push to shift healthcare delivery from reactive treatment to preventive, community-based care.
KJN Chairperson Rushdie Oudia welcomed the initiative, citing the rising threat of misinformation and the need for closer collaboration between health institutions and the media.
“This partnership will help ensure the public receives accurate, timely and actionable health information,” he said.
JOOTRH Head of Corporate Communication and Marketing, Lorraine Opondo, said the hospital’s transition to a Level Six facility has significantly expanded its capacity to deliver specialised services, making sustained public engagement essential.
“Our goal is to build public confidence and ensure communities are aware that advanced and quality healthcare services are now available within the region,” she said.
In a show of support ahead of World Press Freedom Day, KJN members announced plans to hold a blood donation drive at JOOTRH to bolster the referral facility’s blood supplies.
JOOTRH Blood Transfusion Unit Manager Caroline Aoch said the hospital is facing a critical shortage of blood amid rising demand from road traffic accidents, surgeries and specialised procedures such as red blood cell exchange and dialysis.
She described the planned donation as timely and urged more stakeholders to support blood collection efforts.
By Chris Mahandara
