When Catherine Achieng’ holds her newborn daughter close, her eyes well with gratitude. The delivery was smooth, the nurses reassuring and her fears vanished the moment she was ushered into the maternity ward at Lumumba Sub County Hospital.
“I was scared when labour began because I didn’t know where to go after hearing that Jaramogi Hospital was now taking referrals only,” she says, smiling down at her baby. “But when I reached Lumumba, they received me immediately. I delivered safely. I thank God for this place.”
For Catherine and hundreds of mothers like her, Lumumba Hospital has become a sanctuary of care. Once a modest facility tucked in Shaurimoyo, Kaloleni Ward, the Level 4 hospital now serves more than 50,000 residents, far beyond its original catchment area.
With Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital elevated to Level 6 and Kisumu County Referral Hospital advancing toward Level 5, Lumumba has found itself at the centre of a quiet healthcare revolution.
Its daily outpatient numbers have doubled from 200 to 500, while monthly deliveries have risen from 200 to 260. The management team quickly recognized the need to adapt.
“We’ve managed the influx by adding more staff,” says Pamela Olilo, the medical Superintendent. “But we still need to recruit more to meet the growing demand,” she added.
Long known for its focus on maternal and child health, Lumumba Hospital has expanded its services to include chronic disease management. Over the past five years, the County Government has steadily upgraded the facility to match this broader role, making it one of the best maternity hospitals in Kisumu.
The hospital now records delivery numbers comparable to Kisumu County Referral Hospital and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. County Executive Committee Member for Health, Dr. Gregory Ganda, said the county plans to further strengthen the facility.
“We are working to improve staffing, increase capacity and move toward increasing specialized care in the facility,” Dr. Ganda said. “The new maternal block includes a newborn unit and two additional wards that will soon be operational.”
He added that the upcoming affordable housing project nearby will bring thousands of new residents, increasing demand for emergency and maternal services.
“Lumumba will be the first point of care for many of these families,” Dr. Ganda said. “Its proximity to the County Referral and JOOTRH hospitals means the three can work together to effectively serve the growing population.”
The hospital’s 30 bed maternity and postnatal ward remains one of the busiest in Kisumu. Through efficient patient turnover, where mothers with normal deliveries are discharged within 24 hours, Lumumba has managed to accommodate every woman in need. Plans are underway to open a dedicated children’s ward, a milestone that will cement its identity as Kisumu’s leading women and children’s hospital.
Amid the patient surge, Lumumba is also leading a digital transformation. Its outpatient services are fully digitized, integrating registration, consultation, laboratory and billing systems. By November 1st, inpatient services will also be digitized, making Lumumba one of the first sub county hospitals in Kisumu to go fully paperless.
“Digitization has made a big difference,” says the hospital’s IT officer. “It helps us serve faster, track patients better and manage our data more efficiently.”
The hospital’s diagnostic capabilities have grown remarkably. Three modern laboratory machines, for haematology, biochemistry and immunoassay testing, have been installed, ensuring faster and more accurate results.
Patients who once travelled long distances for routine tests now get results on site within minutes. Plans to install an X ray machine are underway, boosting the facility’s ability to handle accident and trauma cases.
Thanks to improved revenue management and support from the Social Health Authority, essential drugs are consistently available, a major win in a sector often crippled by shortages.
Despite its success, Lumumba faces significant pressure. Staff shortages remain acute and limited space is straining critical wards. Budget constraints also slow infrastructure expansion and equipment procurement.
“Our team is dedicated,” says a nurse in the maternity ward. “But we need more support to match the number of patients we’re serving every day.”
Still, Lumumba’s spirit remains unbroken. The hospital has emerged as a model of resilience, where teamwork, innovation and community trust come together to transform lives.
For mothers like Catherine, Lumumba represents more than medical care. It embodies a new promise, that public healthcare can be efficient, humane and dependable.
“They treated me like family,” Catherine says softly. “When I go home, I will tell every woman I know, Lumumba is the place to go.”
As Kisumu’s health landscape evolves, the transformation at Lumumba mirrors the broader legacy of Dr. Gregory Ganda, whose leadership has modernized facilities, improved accountability and expanded access to care.
With Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration entering its final phase, Dr. Ganda stands out among Kisumu’s most effective technocrats. His grasp of health systems management, focus on hospital digitization and push for specialized maternal care have drawn national attention.
Whether he remains in Kisumu or transitions to a national role, the foundations he has built, from Lumumba to JOOTRH, will continue to define how devolved healthcare can thrive under visionary leadership.
Lumumba Sub County Hospital stands today as proof that with vision, commitment and community trust, even a mid level facility can rise to meet a city’s growing health needs, one safe delivery, one digital milestone and one grateful mother at a time.
