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 pressure, specialized training, legal responsibility, and the unpredictable environments ambulance drivers face every day. The responsibility of a standard driver ends with operating the vehicle safely. For an ambulance driver, however, the role extends far beyond the steering wheel. Often working alongside emergency medical teams,...
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 lives and register measurable differences in patient health. For years, 10-year-old Bovince Tom Juma endured constant dental pain that made even the simple act of eating an uphill task. Born with cerebral palsy, Bovince struggled with severe dental complications, including blackened teeth, deep cavities, swollen...
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 is often the most deeply overwhelming hurdle. The diagnosis of breast cancer is an emotionally seismic event. For many, it triggers a cascade of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. These psychological burdens are not just side effects; they are critical factors that influence how a body...
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 create a “cellular fingerprint” by pressing fresh tissue onto a glass slide. Within minutes, while the patient is still on the operating table, doctors can determine if a tumor is cancerous, enabling immediate surgical decisions that previously took days or weeks of waiting. This groundbreaking...
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 for prestige or influence, but to redefine what it means to care. Today, Waguma serves as the Deputy In-Charge of the Surgical Ward at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH). His journey, which began in 2013, is a testament to the fact that...
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 with an air of confidence and care. That spark was fanned into a flame by her stepmother, a nurse whose generosity knew no bounds. “She would work on patients regardless of her time or the weight of her own pocket,” Risper recalls. “Sometimes she would...
Kisumu Journalists Trade Pens for Pints in Lifesaving World Press Freedom Day Drive.
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ian Obadha In a striking departure from their usual roles as observers of tragedy, 63 journalists from the Kisumu Journalists Network (KJN) swapped their notebooks for donation needles at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) this week. Marking World Press Freedom Day under the theme “Shaping a Future at Peace,” the scribes moved beyond reporting the news to becoming the news—donating blood to bolster the region’s depleted reserves. The initiative, supported by the Media Council of Kenya (MCK), signalled a growing commitment to “solution journalism.” As frequent first responders at...
JOOTRH’s Dental Care Leap Forward
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Lorraine Faith A single visit is now enough to restore a child’s smile at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH). This marks a major shift for families who have long struggled with repeated dental visits and untreated pain. The hospital has successfully completed its first full mouth restoration using its own in-house capacity, a key step in advancing paediatric dental care. The procedure was led by Dr. Immaculate Opondo, a paediatric dentist from Maseno University, working alongside the JOOTRH dental and theatre teams. A newly acquired portable dental unit has closed...
Shift from “Empirical Guesswork” to Targeted Stewardship in Wound Care.
Story by Lorraine Opondo and Photos by Ondari Ogega A new study by Dr. Silas O. Awuor has raised alarm over the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in wound care, warning that current treatment practices in Kenya may be doing more harm than good. The research, conducted at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, highlights that many wound infections are being treated using “empirical” methods — where doctors prescribe antibiotics without laboratory testing. According to the study, this approach is contributing to dangerously high levels of drug resistance. The findings show that resistance to commonly used antibiotics such...
JOOTRH Breast Cancer Partnership Records Significant Progress in Patient Care.
Story by Lorraine Opondo and Photos by Ondari Ogega Women with breast conditions seeking services at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) continue to benefit from the partnership that JOOTRH has with the Kisumu Breast Cancer Project. A recent progress report released on April 28, 2026, highlights the expanding reach of the KBCP, which is now providing critical diagnostic and support services to dozens of patients across the region. In the month of April alone, the program has successfully reached a total of 51 patients. While the majority of those seeking care are residents of Kisumu County being...