Kisumu’s Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has secured government funding to complete its long-delayed Comprehensive Cancer Centre, consolidating its role as a Level 6 national referral hospital for western Kenya.
The funding, confirmed during a consultative meeting between JOOTRH Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Joshua Okise and National Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi in Nairobi on Monday, is part of the latest supplementary budget and signals a new era of specialised healthcare for the Lake Region.
Completion of the cancer centre is expected to dramatically reduce the need for patients to travel to Nairobi or Eldoret for oncology care, easing pressure on national referral hospitals such as Kenyatta National Hospital and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
“As a Level 6 facility, our mandate is to provide highly specialised care. The cancer centre will be a critical pillar in fulfilling that responsibility for the Lake Region and beyond,” said Dr Okise.
JOOTRH’s expansion, he said, has already reduced patient referrals from the facility.
Previously, 60–79 complex cases were sent to Nairobi or Eldoret during a typical period. That number, he said, has now dropped to just three, thanks to a robust recruitment drive that has increased staff from 500 to 1,300, including neurosurgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, and plastic, maxillofacial and cardiovascular specialists.
Dr Okise added that the hospital has invested in over 350 modern medical devices, including ENT and neurology tools. Minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopy, he said, have cut recovery times and improved surgical outcomes.
Dr Okise said the impact was measurable, with daily mortality falling from an average of 14 deaths to five, reflecting improved critical care, specialist services, and modern equipment.
With a Sh. 3.2 billion national government-supported budget, JOOTRH is now able to pay local suppliers promptly and source goods from. Within the region, boosting the local economy.
Infrastructure improvements long stalled, including a ramp connecting Ward 3A to 3B and installation of ICU and theatre lifts, he said, were nearing completion, while cost-saving measures like rainwater harvesting are freeing funds for essential medical supplies.
He added that the hospital was also set to operationalise a new kitchen, doctors’ suites, and the Obama Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Units (NICU and PICU), enhancing care for mothers and children across the region.
by Chris Mahandara
