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...
JOOTRH Boosts Regional Healthcare with Major Surgical and Critical Care Upgrade.
Story by Lorraine Opondo and Photos by Ondari Ogega The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has taken a significant leap toward becoming a Level 6A facility following the acquisition of a massive consignment of ultra-modern surgical and critical care equipment. The upgrade, comprising 92 distinct line items supplied by Sunview Medipro International Limited, marks the end of an era for the hospital’s aging infrastructure, some of which has been in service for over a decade. According to the Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Joshua Clinton Okise, this modernization is essential for providing the specialized services the...
The Invisible Thhttps://jootrh.go.ke/the-invisible-threat-why-wearing-scrubs-in-public-is-a-public-health-risk/reat: Why Wearing Scrubs in Public is a Public Health Risk.
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ondari Ogega Medical experts are raising a vital alarm over a common habit among healthcare professionals that could be fueling the spread of deadly, drug-resistant “superbugs” within the community: the practice of wearing hospital scrubs in public spaces. While often seen as a badge of professional identity or a matter of convenience, wearing clinical attire in markets, buses, or restaurants effectively creates a bridge for dangerous pathogens to travel from the hospital environment directly into the public. A leading researcher at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has issued a...
Family Reunited with Missing Daughter After Months of Uncertainty at JOOTRH.
Story by Ian Obadha and Photos by Ondari Ogega After weeks of anguish and continuous searching, a family from Kajulu has finally been reunited with their 29-year-old daughter, Jackline Toya, who had been missing since January 25th 2026. Jackline, who lives with speech difficulties and occasional memory lapses, had gone missing before; but always found her way back or reached out. This time for her family, including her mother Mildred Nyaresa and father Daniel Sitiabai, the days that followed were filled with fear and unanswered questions. “We knew her condition, but she had never stayed away this long,” the family...
Low-Cost ‘Bili Ruler’ Revolutionizes Neonatal Jaundice Detection at JOOTRH.
Story and Photos by Lorraine Anyango The fight against neonatal mortality in Western Kenya has received a significant boost as the Bili Ruler, a low-cost and highly effective diagnostic tool, is changing outcomes for newborns. By enabling early detection of jaundice, the device is proving to be a game-changer in clinical settings where expensive laboratory equipment is often out of reach. The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) is currently one of the primary sites where the PRISMA (Pregnancy Risk, Infant Surveillance and Measurement Alliance) study is implementing this sub-study. Researchers hope the success at JOOTRH and surrounding...
PUBLIC NOTICE ON UNCLAIMED BODIES
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photo by Lorraine Faith Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) wishes to notify members of the public that there are currently forty-seven (47) unclaimed bodies lying at the hospital farewell home. Of these: • 32 are male adults, including two (2) children with one aged 2 years • 13 are foetuses • One is a female adult • One is a skull (unidentified human remains) . The bodies have remained unclaimed for more than three (3) months and are therefore due for disposal in accordance with public health regulations. Records indicate that the...
Against All Odds: JOOTRH Celebrates Rare ‘Baby Miracle’ Abdominal Birth.
Story by Lorraine Anyango and Photos by Ian Obadha Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) is celebrating the successful delivery of “Baby Miracle”—one of fewer than 30 such births ever documented worldwide. What makes the case extraordinary is that the infant survived a rare form of ectopic pregnancy known as a ‘true’ abdominal pregnancy. While ectopic pregnancies occur in roughly one percent of all pregnancies, a true abdominal pregnancy—where the foetus develops entirely outside the reproductive organs—is among the rarest and most dangerous maternal conditions known to science. Unlike typical pregnancies that develop within the protective environment of...
The Miracle in Ward Six: How JOOTRH Surgeons Saved a Baby Who Grew Outside the Womb.
Story Lorraine Anyango and Photos by Ian Obadha Mercy Aduke cradles her newborn, nicknamed ‘Baby Miracle,’ with a look of disbelief and profound gratitude. In her arms is a child who defied the laws of biology, surviving an abdominal ectopic pregnancy—a rare and life-threatening condition where the foetus develops outside the uterus. For eight months, Baby Miracle grew nestled among Ms. Aduke’s internal organs rather than within the safety of the womb. Last week, a high-stakes surgery at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) ensured that both mother and child survived against staggering odds. The delivery was far...
Advancing Long-Term Care for Sickle Cell Warriors
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ondari Ogega For many people living with sickle cell disease, survival is no longer the only goal. The growing focus among clinicians and patient advocates is now shifting toward long-term management that allows patients to live healthier, more stable lives while reducing the frequency of painful crises and complications. Sickle cell disease remains one of the most challenging inherited blood disorders affecting thousands of children and adults across Africa. The condition causes red blood cells to become abnormally shaped, blocking blood flow and triggering severe pain episodes, infections, stroke and organ damage. Experts...