The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu is positioning itself as a premier surgical centre in the region.
According to Dr. Gregory Ganda, Kisumu County Chief Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, the facility, which attends to hundreds of patients from as far as Busia and Migori counties on a daily basis, has significant strengths in surgeries.
“You realize that we have a lot of strengths in surgeries. We have 10 operating theatres, and we want to have super-surgeries done here,” he said.
Dr. Ganda added, “We have seconded quite a number of our doctors for training. We have others who are training in neurology, and you know here we have a neurology centre. And we have others training in cardio-thoracic surgery, we have others who are training in renal.”
The CECM noted that the hospital is expected to start conducting super-surgeries soon, emphasizing that preparation is key to achieving this goal.
“Preparation can only be done through training,” he said. “By training, you keep your staff up to date. By training, you end up with a very good workforce.”
Dr. Ganda addressed the press after gracing the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital training school’s 4th graduation ceremony.
The school offers courses in healthcare assistance, operative theatre technology, and emergency medical technician training, with durations ranging from six months to one year to earn a certificate.
On Friday, 46 healthcare professionals graduated, with only eight of them being JOOTRH staff, as confirmed by Dr. Richard Lesiyampe, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.
“The majority are not our staff. In fact, only eight staff members graduated today. The rest are Kenyans from different walks of life,” Dr. Lesiyampe said.
He also highlighted the irreplaceable role of human expertise in healthcare. “Technology cannot replace human beings. As we race against time to excel in training, service delivery, and research, the human element remains central to our mission.”
With its vision and ongoing investments, JOOTRH is setting the stage to become a leader in complex surgical care, offering hope and advanced healthcare solutions to the region and beyond.
