Kisumu County is steadily cementing its place as the medical powerhouse of the Lake Region, following a wave of transformative investments in healthcare infrastructure, technology, and human capital.
The recent commissioning of an ultra-modern theatre at the Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH) marks yet another milestone in the County’s journey toward accessible and high-quality healthcare for all.
Speaking during the commissioning, Kisumu Deputy Governor, Dr. Matthews Owili, emphasized that the transformation of the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) into a Level 6 parastatal has elevated the city’s reputation as a centre of medical excellence.
While JOOTRH continues to focus on specialized and referral services, KCRH is being positioned as a vital complementary facility that brings quality healthcare closer to the people.
“Today’s commissioning of the new ultra-modern theatre brings us a step closer to that goal,” he said. “Equipped with state-of-the-art surgical facilities and staffed by skilled professionals, this theatre will reduce waiting times, improve surgical outcomes, and save countless lives.”
The Ksh 19 million facility, designed to handle both routine and emergency maternal cases, ends years of logistical challenges where surgeons and obstetricians shared a single operating theatre—often resulting in long queues and delayed interventions.
This achievement builds on a string of innovations that have reshaped Kisumu’s health landscape. Last year, the County unveiled the first public DNA and PCR Molecular Diagnostic Platform in the region—a groundbreaking investment that has strengthened disease surveillance, enhanced diagnostic precision, and positioned Kisumu as a leader in public health innovation.
“These are not isolated achievements,” the Deputy Governor noted. “They are part of a broader transformation agenda rooted in the belief that health is the greatest wealth. Under our administration, healthcare is not a privilege—it is a right.”
At the heart of this transformation lies the Kisumu County Referral Hospital Strategic Plan 2025–2030, a bold five-year blueprint aimed at strengthening service delivery, upgrading health infrastructure, enhancing human resource capacity, promoting partnerships and innovation, and ensuring financial accountability.
The plan prioritizes the construction of a state-of-the-art outpatient complex that will integrate the Accident and Emergency Unit with outpatient services, with Phase One expected to commence in the next calendar year.
But perhaps the most transformative element of Kisumu’s health agenda is digitization. The County is rapidly integrating digital health solutions to boost efficiency, strengthen accountability, and drive data-informed decision-making.
Building upon an already functional electronic medical records system, Kisumu is now developing a fully integrated health information system linking community health units to referral hospitals. According to the Deputy Governor, 80 percent of this integration is complete, with full implementation expected by November this year.
The hospital will also transition to the Taifacare Platform, a unified digital infrastructure provided at no cost to the facility. The platform will connect all county health facilities, improving patient care, operational coordination, and real-time information exchange across the network.
“This digital shift will not only improve efficiency and coordination,” he explained, “but will also ensure that every patient’s journey through our health system is seamless, safe, and centered on their needs.”
As Kisumu embraces this new era of innovation, investment, and inclusivity, it is clear that the County’s health revolution is more than a policy directive—it is a promise of dignity, equity, and excellence in healthcare for every resident.
