Story by Elizabeth Achieng and Photos by Philister Adhiambo When Loicer Atieno gave birth to her daughter, Winnie Noela, what should have been a moment of joy quickly turned into one of fear and uncertainty. Born extremely premature and weighing just 600 grams, baby Winnie was so tiny and fragile that she was immediately admitted...
Author: Sherine Atieno (Sherine Atieno)
Triumph Amid Complications
Story by Joy Vallary and Photos by Lorraine Faith Triumph Amid Complications At just six months pregnant, 29-year-old Belinda Mukolwe from Manyatta, Kisumu, feared she could lose both her life and that of her unborn baby after developing severe complications linked to preeclampsia. She was referred from a private health facility to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga...
Every Session Counts: Inside JOOTRH’s Occupational Therapy Department
Story by Eddah Macharia and Photos by Lorraine Faith Cradling her one-year-old son during a therapy session at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), Mary Atieno reflects on the difficult journey her family has faced since the child was born with cerebral palsy. What began as fear, uncertainty, and endless questions gradually turned...
SKIN HEALING AT JOOTRH
Story by Juliet Vyola and Photos by Lorraine Faith The human skin is often misunderstood. To most people, a rash is simply irritation, a dark patch just another mark, or persistent itching something easy to ignore. Yet the skin is one of the body’s clearest indicators of health, often revealing infections, allergies, immune disorders, chronic...
Wheels that Save Lives
Story by Mercy Chloe, Philister Adhiambo and Carolyne Nyongesa Their speed, precision, and split-second decisions on the road can mean the difference between life and death for the patients they carry. While any licensed driver can manage steering, accelerating, and braking, driving an ambulance is an entirely different discipline. The difference lies in the psychological...
Specialized Dental Care Triumphs at JOOTRH
Story by Ian Obadha nad Photos by Ondari Ogega The numbers will grow, and the transformation will be documented. Following the launch of advanced full-mouth restoration services, a young boy living with cerebral palsy has become the latest beneficiary. The newly installed equipment is not just sitting idle; specialists are actively using it to change...
Healing the Mind to Heal the Body
Story by Lorraine Faith and Photos by Ian Obadha At the Oncology Unit of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), the medical team operates on a singular, powerful conviction: “Cancer is not a death sentence.” While breast cancer is a physical battle, the hospital recognizes that the impact on a patient’s mental health...
JOOTRH’s First “Intra-operative imprint cytology” Surgery Performed in Western Kenya
Story by Lorraine Opondo and Photos by Lorraine Faith In a historic leap for healthcare in Western Kenya, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has successfully pioneered a rapid diagnostic technique that allows surgeons to identify disease in real-time. The procedure, known as intraoperative pathological assessment using imprint cytology, allows pathologists to...
How a Male Nurse is Challenging Societal Stereotypes
Story by Philister Adhiambo, Mercy Chloe and Carolyne Nyongesa Photos by Ondari Ogega “When I qualified, we were only five men and 45 women, and this was a big challenge to me,” recalls Lawrence Waguma. In a society that often paints nursing with a strictly feminine brush, Lawrence chose to step into the ward not...
THREE DECADES OF NURSING AT JOOTRH
Story by Eddah Macharia and Pauline Monica and Photos by Ian Obadha For Risper Ogwe, nursing was never a fallback plan; it was a calling sparked by the sight of starched white uniforms and flowing capes. Growing up near Homa Bay District Hospital, she would stand by the roadside during school breaks, watching nurses pass...








