For 13 years, Thomas Moracha, a boda boda rider from Bomachoge Chache Constituency in Kisii County, lived with a severe fracture in his left upper arm, the result of a road accident in 2013.
At Nyanchwa Adventist Mission Hospital, he sits quietly on a corner bed, smiling as we approach.
A spot check in the ward reveals similar scenes throughout: men and women with arms or legs strapped in bandages, each carrying their own long-delayed story of recovery.
“Since 2013, I have had to endure so much pain. I have been in and out of hospitals. As a man with four children to feed, I couldn’t just stay still,” he says.
For years, Moracha endured pain and uncertainty as efforts to restore his fractured arm to its normal position bore no fruit.
During the first year of treatment at a local health facility, X-rays showed he was recovering well, even though he could not fully resume his normal duties.
As the sole breadwinner of his household, he went back to work after a year anyway, doing what he could to provide for his wife and children.
He relied on painkillers to suppress the pain until last year, when he heard of the Mairura Family Foundation. He rushed from Mombasa, where he was living at the time, to Kisii but arrived a day too late.
“I arrived in Kisii after the team of doctors who were on an orthopaedic surgical medical mission at the Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital had already left just a day before, sadly.”
This year, Moracha was determined not to miss the opportunity again.
“I arrived at the hospital at 6 a.m, 3rd August and found a long queue already waiting. When I missed last year, I had to be tactical. This time round, I did my X-rays before the doctors arrived in Kenya and had the results sent to them, so by the time this year’s camp came round, the doctor already knew my case. I was among the first beneficiaries.”
Moracha can finally look forward to a normal life after receiving free surgery on August 5th, courtesy of the Foundation, turning 13 years of suffering into a story of hope.
“I underwent surgery on Wednesday, and I am confident I will recover fully after the recommended few weeks and resume the work life that had dropped from 100 percent to about 35 percent,” he says. “The doctor says that in about three weeks I should be fine if I keep up the physiotherapy exercises.”
Next to Moracha’s bed lies a 16-year-old boy in grade 10, all smiles as he lifts his bandaged left hand.
“My son got severe burns when he was only two years old,” his mother says. “For years, I could not afford reconstructive surgery for his five fingers, which were badly burnt. As the hand healed, the fingers fused together. It has been a painful sight to watch, but today his hand has been released.”
Just beyond him is Jane Moraa, a widow from Nyamira County who fell and broke her hip. For four years she endured the pain because she could not afford total hip replacement surgery.
“As the sole breadwinner, it pained me to see my young children skip school at times just to help me move around. SHA and the Foundation have taken care of all the costs of my hip replacement,” she says, breaking into a broad smile. “I can’t wait to go back to my normal chores again, especially going to church.”
Mairura Family Foundation’s lead orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Edward Mairura, says testimonials like Moracha’s give his medical team the momentum to work sometimes over 16-hours for days over the five-day orthopaedic medical camp at the Nyanchwa facility.
“Whether they can access care through SHA, insurance, or neither, we take care of them,” he says.
Dr. Mairura notes this was the first time his team performed such a wide range of orthopaedic procedures at the facility, including multiple hip and knee replacements.
“Together with my team, we offered a range of non-surgical treatment options for conditions involving the hip, knee, shoulder, hand, foot and ankle,” he says.
Nyanchwa Adventist Mission Hospital CEO Duncan Mosioma says this year’s camp was designed to bring specialists in bone and joint care to underserved communities who would otherwise be unable to afford such treatment.
“The camp focused on arthritis, which is highly prevalent in the region, of every 100 patients seen at the hospital, up to 10 presents with arthritis-related conditions, as well as trauma cases requiring surgical intervention, post-surgical deformities requiring correction, and implant removal for patients who had previously had orthopaedic implants fitted,” he says.
Dr. Mairura thanked the hospital for giving his team the opportunity to reach underserved residents of Kisii, and notes that the local doctors also benefited from working alongside visiting specialists from the United States, who brought advanced techniques and technology to the camp.
“This year we had a foot and ankle surgeon who trained along a different path recognised in the United States. I was surprised it isn’t a recognised specialty here, but we were able to secure the appropriate approvals for him to perform his surgeries,” he says.
Dr. Mairura acknowledges the team could not meet the full demand this year, but pledges to return with a larger team to build on the camp’s impact.
Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke who visited the facility on the second last day of the camp has commended the Mairura Family Foundation of Dallas, USA, for partnering with Nyanchwa Adventist Mission Hospital to provide free specialised orthopaedic care to patients in Kisii County.
“We want to thank the team of doctors and volunteers from America for conducting these free orthopaedic surgeries, as well as the team at Nyanchwa Adventist Hospital for hosting the procedures,” Isaboke says, also crediting the Kisii County government led by Governor Simba Arati and Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga for helping certify the visiting doctors, allowing them to perform surgeries and operate in the region.
He adds that the initiative demonstrates the value of partnerships in expanding access to quality healthcare, and complements the government’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage by bringing specialised medical services closer to communities that need them.
“I call upon all Kisii residents to register for SHA. Over 465,000 are already registered but we still have many who are not yet on SHA. Most of the beneficiaries of this camp will walk home free because of the support of SHA,” says the PS.
Moracha echoes that sentiment, noting that while his surgery was free, SHA covered the cost of his inpatient ward stay at Nyanchwa Adventist Mission Hospital.
Nyanchwa Adventist Mission Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Dancun Mosioma praised the government for restoring SHA operations at the facility and pledged to keep working closely with the Ministry of Health to expand access to care in the region.
He notes that the camp draws patients not only from Kisii County but also from the neighbouring counties of Nyamira, Homa Bay, Migori, and Narok.
“Most residents are unable to afford the cost of healthcare, but through this partnership, we have been able to support vulnerable families across the county,” Mosioma says.
The week-long medical outreach recorded nearly 2,500 medical consultations, 400 outpatient treatments and nearly 40 free orthopedic surgeries, with patients receiving highly specialised treatment, surgeries, implants and follow-up care valued at approximately KSh 150 million”, added Mosioma.
The Mairura Family Foundation has run orthopaedic surgical medical missions in Kenya since 2024, serving patients across Kisii County.
Each mission brings together American orthopaedic surgeons, a technical team from leading orthopaedic equipment manufacturers, and a support team of nurses and physician assistants.
“This partnership with Mairura Family Foundation has demonstrated our commitment to providing practical solutions that can transform the lives of our people, especially when faith and compassion come together,”said Pastor Stephen Ongige, President, SDA South Kenya Conference.
Beyond the surgical camps, the Foundation has donated more than KSh 28 million in medical equipment to facilities including Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi and the University of Nairobi’s Department of Orthopaedics.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it also supplied face masks to more than 1,000 students at Otamba and Nyabite primary schools in Kisii County.
By Mercy Osongo and Violet Otindo
