Kisumu County Executive Committee Member for Health Dr. Gregory Ganda has vowed to intervene over mounting complaints about the quality of services at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), following a wave of public criticism over the treatment of patients at the facility.
Dr Ganda said he had taken note of the growing concerns raised by members of the public, including messages sent directly to his Facebook inbox seeking his intervention on matters affecting patients at the Level Six referral hospital.
The county health executive said, as a doctor, he was disturbed by reports suggesting that some patients had been treated without dignity, stressing that patients should be accorded respect and proper care whenever they seek medical attention.
“I have noted the many tags and received a number of messages in my inbox requesting my indulgence on matters concerning JOOTRH. As a doctor, it troubles me to hear any patient describe being treated without dignity,” Dr Ganda said in a Facebook post.
However, Dr Ganda clarified that JOOTRH is a national government health facility and does not fall under the direct management of the Kisumu County Government.
He nevertheless pledged to forward the concerns to the relevant leadership for action, while urging members of the public with specific complaints to formally report them to enable investigations and appropriate intervention.
“I will nevertheless make these concerns known to the appropriate leadership, and I encourage anyone with a specific complaint to report it formally so that it can be investigated and addressed. This is how care improves, through structured feedback, accountability and action,” he said.
Dr Ganda further urged Kenyans not to shy away from seeking medical attention when unwell, saying patients should be able to access healthcare without fear.
His remarks come amid growing public anger on social media, where patients and relatives of those treated at JOOTRH have shared accounts alleging poor service delivery, rude treatment by some healthcare workers, incompetence, lack of accountability and delays in attending to patients.
Some of the critics have gone as far as describing the facility as a “death trap”, claims that have fuelled renewed debate over the quality of services at one of the region’s largest referral hospitals.
The online uproar also sparked a heated exchange between members of the public and individuals perceived to be defending the hospital, with some social media users questioning efforts they believed were aimed at managing the facility’s public image rather than addressing the underlying concerns.
Some critics have also compared the current situation at JOOTRH with the period when former Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Lesiyampe headed the institution, claiming that the hospital previously had stronger discipline and accountability among its workforce.
Others have directed criticism at the current management under Dr Joshua Clinton Okise, whom they have accused of laxity. The allegations, however, remain claims by members of the public and would require independent verification before being treated as established facts.
The latest controversy has placed renewed focus on accountability, patient dignity and service delivery at JOOTRH, with calls for hospital management and the relevant national government authorities to address complaints raised by patients and their families.
Dr Ganda’s intervention is now expected to provide a channel through which the concerns can be formally investigated and, where justified, corrective action taken.
Here are the screenshots from the angry members of the public
