Story by Lorraine Anyango and Photos by Ondari Ogega The Public Service Commission has officially approved a new staff establishment for Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), authorizing a workforce of 1,805 personnel to bolster its operations as a Level six facility. Under this new structure, 1,545 positions are designated for technical officers—representing 86 percent of the total workforce—while the remaining 260 positions, or 14 percent, will comprise administrative and shared services. This expansion signals a significant growth opportunity for the hospital, which currently employs approximately 1,200 staff members, paving the way for improved service delivery once the...

Story and photos by Ian Obadha The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) Orthopaedic Surgery Training Program has received official approval from the regional professional surgical body, marking a breakthrough for the hospital and a significant boost to specialized surgical care in Western Kenya. The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) has accredited JOOTRH as a specialist training centre for Orthopaedic Surgery, with the approval taking effect in January 2026. COSECSA is a leading professional body dedicated to postgraduate surgical education and training across the East, Central and Southern Africa region. In a letter...

Story by Sherine Atieno and photos by Ondari Ogega and Ian Obadha Walking even a short distance had become a daily battle for 51-year-old George Otieno Odalo from Kobita, Okuto village in Seme. What was once a simple routine of moving from one point to another slowly turned into a painful, draining ordeal. At times, a 30-minute walk stretched into two hours. He often paused mid-journey to gather strength, the sharp, unpredictable pain shooting from his legs to his waist forcing him to stop in his tracks. This debilitating journey began on the morning of Jamhuri Day in 2022. He...

Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ondari Ogega When 46-year-old Rose Opundo from Kanyada, Homa Bay, was wheeled into the operating theatre at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), fear and hope weighed equally in her heart. “This was my first surgery. I was very afraid but hopeful at the same time. I just wanted a chance to relieve my pain,” the soft-spoken fruit vendor said shortly after waking from a successful seven-hour spine operation during the ongoing neurosurgical camp. Ms. Opundo’s life changed abruptly one morning in November last year. She went to bed feeling fine,...

Story by Lorraine Anyango and photos by Ondari Ogega A worrying finding from a new study indicates that 60% of market-ready fish in Kisumu are contaminated with Escherichia coli (E.coli), a common bacterium that is rapidly developing resistance to critical antibiotics. The study, conducted by a research team at the Jaramogi Oginga Oginga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), tested 256 fish samples and found 153—or 60%—tested positive for E.Coli. E.Coli is typically harmlessly found in the gut, but pathogenic strains are a leading cause of severe human infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), bloodstream infections (sepsis), and meningitis. When these...

Story by Sherine Atieno and photos by Ian Obadha Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) is currently hosting a critical 10-day neurosurgical camp where 73 patients are scheduled to receive life-changing, complex procedures. The specialized medical mission began today, November 24th, and runs through December 3rd, 2025. The procedures, which aim to address long-standing neurological and spine problems, are being performed by a combined team of international and local specialists. The visiting team from Germany is led by neurosurgeon Dr. Tim Ogutu and includes specialists Dr. Judith Jacob, Dr. Anita Schug, Dr. Rosemary Ngoti, Dr. Gerald Otieno Olola,...