A 17-day-old baby suffering from acute kidney injury has become the first newborn in Western Kenya to undergo peritoneal dialysis at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), a breakthrough expected to save critically ill infants from risky and costly referrals to Nairobi and Eldoret.
The landmark procedure, successfully performed this week, makes JOOTRH the first hospital in the Lake Region to offer neonatal peritoneal dialysis, a highly specialised treatment used when a newborn’s kidneys are unable to remove waste and excess fluid from the body.
JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Clinton Okise said the service closes a critical gap in specialised pediatric care that has for years forced families to seek treatment hundreds of kilometres away.
“Quite a number of these patients have been going to Eldoret and Nairobi, but this is a service that we can now provide here. Families no longer need to travel long distances because JOOTRH has the capacity to undertake the procedure,” said Dr. Okise.
The baby, who had developed severe acute kidney injury following an infection, had reportedly gone for more than five days without passing urine when brought to the referral hospital.
Doctors said immediate intervention was necessary to prevent further deterioration.
Dr. Lollah Mollah, a pediatric emergency and critical care specialist who led the medical team, said the procedure was the culmination of years of investment in training specialised personnel and equipping the facility to handle complex pediatric cases.
“Over the years we have been referring these patients to Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital because we did not have the capacity to manage them here. Today we have demonstrated that we can provide this service locally,” she said.
According to Dr. Mollah, acute kidney injury is a major contributor to illness and death among critically ill newborns, with hospital data showing that one in every 10 babies admitted to the newborn unit develops some form of kidney injury.
“In some periods, especially among critically ill newborns, the numbers can be even higher. The severe cases require dialysis and without timely intervention the outcomes can be fatal,” he said.
Peritoneal dialysis works by using the lining of the abdomen to filter waste products and excess fluids from the blood when the kidneys temporarily fail.
The treatment serves as a bridge until the kidneys recover and resume normal function.
The procedure involved a multidisciplinary team comprising pediatricians, surgeons, anesthetists, nurses and theatre staff.
A dialysis catheter was successfully inserted before treatment was initiated in the hospital’s high-dependency neonatal unit.
Although the infant remains in critical condition, doctors reported encouraging progress following the procedure.
Dr. Mollah attributed the achievement to deliberate investments made after JOOTRH was elevated to a national referral facility and state corporation.
“We conducted a skills-gap analysis and identified specialised services that were lacking. We then invested in training doctors, nurses, surgeons and anesthetists to ensure we could offer these services safely,” she said.
The breakthrough comes as the Ministry of Health intensifies implementation of the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere (EWENE) initiative aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal deaths across the country.
Neonatologist Dr. Sharon Charo said many cases of acute kidney injury among newborns can be prevented through proper breastfeeding, hydration and infection control.
She urged mothers to closely monitor urine output among newborns, noting that reduced urination is often one of the earliest warning signs of kidney injury.
“A healthy newborn should have six to eight wet diapers within 24 hours. When mothers notice reduced urine output, they should seek medical attention immediately,” she said.
Dr. Charo identified inadequate breastfeeding and neonatal infections as the leading causes of acute kidney injury among newborns in the region.
“Exclusive breastfeeding remains the best protection. Adequate feeding prevents dehydration while good hygiene helps prevent infections, both of which are major causes of kidney injury in newborns,” she said.
In private hospitals, neonatal dialysis can cost between Sh. 200,000 and Sh. 300,000, making public access to the service a major relief for affected families.
The new capability will serve patients from counties within the Lake Region Economic Bloc as well as referrals from neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania, positioning JOOTRH as a growing centre of excellence in neonatal and pediatric kidney care.
By Chris Mahandara
