Kisumu County Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to upgrade Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCH) and three other health facilities, after the National Government elevated Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH), to a National Referral Hospital and a state parastatal.
County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation, Dr. Gregory Ganda, said the county will redirect the Sh. 1.2 billion previously allocated for running JOOTRH towards strengthening other health facilities in the area.
The targeted hospitals include Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH), Ahero Sub-County Hospital, Kombewa Sub-County Hospital, and Nyabondo Trauma Centre.
“We are now in a position to expand and modernise our county hospitals to better serve residents. Our goal is to reduce overreliance on JOOTRH by improving facilities across the county, ensuring patients do not have to travel long distances for quality healthcare services,” he said.
The county government, he added, plans to invest in upgrading infrastructure, procuring state-of-the-art medical equipment, and increasing the number of healthcare workers in the selected hospitals.
The move is expected to decongest JOOTRH, which has been struggling with an overwhelming number of patients from across the Western region.
Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH), he said, was set to receive the largest share of funding, with plans to expand its bed capacity, improve diagnostic services and introduce specialised treatment.
Ahero Sub-County Hospital, which serves a large rural population, he added, will be expanded and equipped with new facilities while Kombewa Sub-County Hospital, which also acts as a referral centre for Seme and surrounding areas, will also be equipped to handle critical care patients.
Nyabondo Trauma Centre, which was constructed by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and handed over to the county government, he said, shall be fully operationalised to attend to emergencies and accident victims, along the busy Kisii-Kisumu Highway.
Addressing the media in Kisumu, Dr. Ganda assured residents that the county government was committed to ensuring equitable access to healthcare services across all sub-counties.
“We are taking a holistic approach to improving healthcare in Kisumu. By strengthening our county hospitals, we are not only improving service delivery but also reducing pressure on JOOTRH, allowing it to focus on specialised and referral cases,” he added.
The upgrade project, he said, aligns with Kisumu County’s broader vision to enhance health infrastructure, improve service delivery, and position the county as a regional healthcare hub.
By Chris Mahandara
