Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has begun a high-impact neurosurgical camp that will see 73 patients undergo complex brain and spine operations over the next 10 days.
The camp, which kicked off on Monday and runs until December 3, is being conducted by a joint team of German and Kenyan specialists under the Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative.
The first nine surgeries were successfully completed on the opening day, setting the pace for what the doctors describe as an intensive and life-changing intervention.
The visiting delegation from Germany is led by neurosurgeon Dr Tim Ogutu, working alongside specialists Dr Judith Jacob, Dr. Anita Schug, Dr. Rosemary Ngoti, Dr. Gerald Otieno Olola and Dr. Handjou Nganou.
JOOTRH surgeons Dr Lee Ogutha, Dr. William Owiti and Dr Walter Adero are collaborating with them.
The mission has also brought together a team of specialized German nurses and paramedics -Miriam Klein, Lena Hoch,
Dennis Hoefler, Simon Letsch, Eva Lehmann, and Florian Kessler — as well as JOOTRH physiotherapist Maureen Akumu, German physiotherapist Andrea Meixner and Nevro Pain Therapy representative Eldar Hubolov.
Patients will undergo a wide range of intricate procedures, including spine decompressions, cervical fusions, lumbar laminectomies, spinal fixations and brain tumor operations.
The cases span all age groups, from a 14-year-old girl to elderly adults, underscoring the huge unmet demand for neurosurgical care in public facilities.
Such procedures typically cost between Sh500,000 and Sh900,000 in private hospitals a barrier for most Kenyans.
All patients under the Social Health Authority (SHA) are receiving the surgeries and full post-operative care at no extra cost, a move expected to ease the financial burden on families and improve access to specialized treatment.
The camp, conducted quarterly, is expected to run uninterrupted through early December, offering equitable and life-transforming access to some of the country’s most expensive and sought-after surgical procedures.
By Chris Mahandara
