For decades, critically ill patients from the Lake Basin region endured long ambulance rides to Eldoret and Nairobi in search of specialised care but today, that referral tide is steadily reversing.
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has sharply reduced the number of patients it sends to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) and Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), signalling growing local capacity to handle complex cases.
Hospital data from September to December 2025 show outbound referrals dropping to between five and seven cases per month, a significant shift for a regional referral facility that previously transferred dozens of patients for advanced interventions.
In September, only six patients were referred out, followed by five in October, seven in November and six in December.
Most of the cases transferred involved highly specialised niche procedures, with the majority of critical patients now managed in-house.
At the same time, inward referrals surged, underscoring growing public confidence in the Kisumu-based facility.
The hospital received 378 referred patients in September, rising to 452 in October before settling at 328 in November and 313 in December.
The Accident and Emergency (A&E) department bore the brunt of the increase, handling 189 referrals in September, 223 in October, peaking at 285 in November and closing the year at 283 in December.
The Obama Children’s Hospital wing also maintained a steady flow of young patients, while the maternity unit recorded a sharp rise from 103 referrals in September to 175 in October.
Prime Care Hospital, the private wing of JOOTRH managed 41 referrals in September and sustained services throughout the quarter.
Hospital administrators attribute the turnaround to deliberate investments in specialised equipment and targeted recruitment of skilled personnel.
Speaking during a consultancy meeting between the management and clinical teams, Director of Clinical Services Dr. Dedan Ongonga said the acquisition of advanced diagnostic and surgical equipment was steadily eliminating the need for external referrals.
Among key upgrades is the implementation of a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) in the radiology department, expected to reduce waiting time for imaging reports and improve diagnostic accuracy.
The hospital has also authorized the purchase of critical reproductive health equipment, including suction machines, ventilators and a carbon-extracting machine, as part of a plan to establish four specialised reproductive health units supported by three functional theatres.
In internal medicine, management plans to install four High Dependency Unit (HDU) beds each in Ward 8 and Ward 9 to decentralise critical care services and reduce pressure on the main intensive care areas.
JOORTH Acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Okise said specialised improvements were also underway in dental and ophthalmology units, where aesthetic machines will be installed to enable Paediatric dental procedures and delicate eye surgeries to be conducted within the departments.
The hospital, he added, has acquired new urology equipment to enhance surgical capacity.
Most of the essential equipment, he said, was already on the way, reaffirming the hospital’s commitment to transforming into a fully-fledged centre of excellence for the Lake Basin region.
By Chris Mahandara
