Story by Ian Obadha and photos by Ondari Ogega For nearly a decade, the world had been a “symphony of silence” for 17-year-old Dorothy Awino. After a prolonged struggle with a debilitating ear condition that led to swelling, weekly pain, and total deafness in her left ear, conversations, music, and the simple sound of a loved one’s voice had become frustratingly muted. But this week, hope has arrived at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), which is hosting a five-day ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) Surgical Camp designed to restore the gift of sound. The camp is...
October 16, 2025October 16, 2025
Breaking Barriers on Women’s Health at Victoria Annex
Story by Ian Obadha and photos by Ondari Ogega After years of closure and anticipation, the Victoria Annex of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has triumphantly reopened its surgical theatre. Today, the first major procedure following the reopening was successfully undertaken, marking a significant medical milestone in women’s health for the region. The procedure involved a patient suffering from severe uterine fibroids, an achievement that underscores JOOTRH-Victoria Annex’s renewed commitment to pioneering surgical solutions in gynaecological care. The patient, Lydia Amondi, a vibrant 45-year-old from Kisumu, had endured a year of debilitating and constant symptoms. Recalling her...
October 10, 2025October 10, 2025
JOOTRH Promotes Access to Mental Health Care
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ian Obadha Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) today joined the world in marking World Mental Health Day under the global theme “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.” The event brought together survivors of mental health conditions, caregivers, healthcare workers, first responders, and key partners, all united in their resolve to promote compassion, resilience, and accessible care for all. The celebrations crowned a weeklong series of activities that began on October 6th. These included trauma recovery sessions with Naki Trauma Support, training for first responders and healthcare workers,...
October 07, 2025October 7, 2025
Screen Early, Beat Cancer
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ondari Ogega When 23-year-old Lillian Kyalo, a student at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), felt a small lump in her breast during a self-exam, she was alarmed. Unsure of her next step, she turned to her elder sister, Tabitha Kyalo, who is currently on attachment at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH). Tabitha had recently come across a post on JOOTRH’s Facebook page about the Free Breast Cancer Screening offered through the Kisumu Breast Cancer Project; a joint initiative by JOOTRH, the County Government of Kisumu, Africa...
October 06, 2025October 6, 2025
The Eight-Month Wait: Kisumu Breast Cancer Crisis Demands Immediate Community Action
Story by Lorraine Anyango Milka Omolo’s seven-year struggle for a breast cancer diagnosis is a stark reflection of a severe crisis facing women in Kisumu: the crippling, and often fatal, delay between noticing the first symptom and receiving definitive care. Though Milka, a 25-year-old from Kindubay, first noticed a progressive lump on her left breast in 2014, it took until January 2025 at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) to receive the diagnosis she had long suspected. Ms. Omolo is one of 77 beneficiaries of the Kisumu Breast Cancer Project, a collaboration between JOOTRH, the Africa Cancer Foundation,...
October 06, 2025October 6, 2025
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
FREE Breast Cancer Screening! Free breast cancer screening is here for the month of October! Jootrh is offering complimentary screenings every Tuesday and Friday through the Kisumu Breast Cancer Project. We welcome all women to take advantage of this vital opportunity. Your health is your wealth! Early detection saves lives. Don’t wait—come get screened! When: Every Tuesday & Friday in October Where: Jootrh consultant’s clinics available. Who:All women are welcome!
October 06, 2025October 6, 2025
Surgery Rewrote Baby Talous’ Story
Story by Ian Obadha The arrival of a newborn is a time of unparalleled joy, but for Beatrice Choni, the birth of her son, James Talou, quickly turned into a journey of fear. Born via C-section on September 19, 2025, little James was a tiny fighter, but his joy was short-lived. He was born with a neonatal complication—a hernia—that was already affecting his bowel and bladder function. After delivery, my baby was taken straight into the nursery,” recalls choni . Though initially assured everything was fine, she noticed her son’s abnormal bowel habits when it was time to feed. Concerned,...
October 06, 2025October 6, 2025
Shining a Light on Tiny Warriors
Story and photos by Ian Obadha As Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Awareness Month drew to a close, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) celebrated the strength and resilience of premature and critically ill newborns, alongside the tireless efforts of their caregivers. The hospital marked the occasion by honoring mothers and the JOOTRH team who supported them throughout their NICU journey with the slogan, “You are seen, you are heard, you are cared for.”The event highlighted the specialized care provided to these vulnerable infants while also extending support to their families. The NICU is a specialized environment equipped...
October 06, 2025October 6, 2025
Free Surgical Camp Gives Two-Year-Old a New Lease on Life
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ondari Ogega When two-year-old Parloma Apondi was born with omphalocele, a rare condition where some abdominal organs develop outside the body, her parents feared for her survival. This week, during the annual paediatric surgical camp at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), she finally received the life-changing surgery her family had been waiting for. To her father, Kevin Odhiambo, a 45-year-old businessman at Kibuye Market, Parloma is his miracle baby. At six months of pregnancy, her mother began bleeding heavily. While some healthcare workers advised her to terminate the pregnancy, others...
October 06, 2025October 6, 2025
When a Birthday Became a Second Chance at Life
Story by Sherine Atieno and Photos by Ondari Ogega “If I had to pay for this surgery from my own pocket, I wouldn’t have managed to afford it,” says a deeply grateful Gladys Achieng. The 27-year-old mother from Seme now sees her son’s successful operation as a priceless birthday gift and a new chance at life. Her firstborn, Harnest Milton, turned nine on the very day he underwent surgery to correct a swelling on his groin, a condition medically known as hydrocele. For Gladys, watching her son receive the long-awaited treatment on his birthday was a blessing beyond words. The...