By Lorraine Anyango.                                                                                                                   The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has been found compliant with the norms and standards for a level 6 hospital in Kenya. This positive evaluation comes from a recent inspection by the Kenya Health Professional Oversight Authority. (KHPOA)

Inspection Results and Upgrade Recommendation

KHPOA scored JOOTRH at 85%, recognizing the improvements made since a previous inspection on August 1st, 2023. Based on these findings, the committee has recommended upgrading the hospital’s status to better reflect its current service offerings. KHPOA conducted joint assessments together with The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council and the Nursing Council of Kenya.                                                                                                                                                                Strengths Highlighted by the Inspection

The inspection team identified several key strengths:

• Increased Specialist Coverage: JOOTRH boasts a growing number of specialized doctors, complementing the general medical officers who handle routine cases.
• Level 6 Compliance: The hospital fulfills the mandatory requirements for a Level 6 facility, including:
  • Functional Theaters: JOOTRH has 11 operational theaters, including general, A&E, and three dedicated maternity theaters.
  • Oncology Services: Both adult and pediatric oncology services are available.
  • Intensive Care Unit: A 13-bed ICU with patient monitors is operational.
  • Teaching Hospital Status: JOOTRH serves as a teaching hospital for medical students from Maseno and Uzima Universities.
  • Laboratory Services: The hospital offers Class E laboratory services, with an upgrade to Class F underway.
• Pharmacy Adequacy: The pharmacy maintains a sufficient stock of pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical supplies, with recent procurements valued at Kshs. 21 million.

Areas for Improvement

While commending JOOTRH’s progress, the inspection team also identified areas for further development:

• Waste Management: The number of segregation bins and designated waste lines across all departments needs to be increased.
• Outpatient Department: The asbestos roof in the outpatient section must be replaced with a more environmentally friendly material.
• Emergency Preparedness: Emergency escape routes with essential Health Products and Technologies (HPTS) need to be established at key service points.
• Space Constraints: The Emergency and Accident department requires expansion to accommodate the current workload.
• Documentation: Inpatient ward documentation needs to be more comprehensive.
• Staffing: The hospital needs to recruit additional staff, including critical care nurses, general nurses, medical officers, specialists, and medical officer interns. This may necessitate increased budgetary allocations to support the growing workload.

Conclusion

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital has made significant strides towards achieving Level 6 status. By addressing the identified areas for improvement and securing the recommended upgrade, JOOTRH can further enhance its capacity to deliver high-quality healthcare services to the community.