Kisumu County Referral Hospital (KCRH) is expanding health services following the transition of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) to the national government.
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Medical Services, Public Health and Sanitation executive Gregory Ganda said groundbreaking for the facility is expected within two weeks.
He described it as the first phase of transforming KCRH into the county’s main referral hospital.
The county has also set aside Sh80 million under the Kenya Devolution Support Programme for a new inpatient facility, while a modern diagnostic centre is being established.
“This is going to be phase one of transforming the facility, after which the board will have to mobilise resources and look at the next phase, which is the outpatient centre,” Ganda said during the inauguration of the KCRH and Victoria Sub-County Hospital boards.
The investments are guided by a master plan covering outpatient and inpatient services, departmental linkages, traffic flow and movement within the facility.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o said KCRH had assumed a bigger role following JOOTRH’s transition and would be transformed into a modern, comprehensive referral hospital.
The county is also investing in diagnostic capacity through a public-private partnership.
Nyong’o said the diagnostic centre is 50 per cent complete and is expected to be finished within three months.
The centre will provide advanced imaging services, including CT and MRI scans, allowing more complex conditions to be diagnosed and managed locally.
As KCRH takes on the referral function, Victoria Sub-County Hospital is being given a specialised role in the county health system. It will focus on sickle cell disease management, newborn screening and early cancer detection.
Nyong’o said Victoria would coordinate a countywide programme by working with health facilities to identify patients early, facilitate referrals and link them to specialised care.
Ganda said the sickle cell programme dates back to 2019, when Nyong’o and US-based doctor Charles Latino supported the installation of a newborn screening machine at JOOTRH.
“We are now going to the next phase of having a facility that coordinates the screening of all newborns in Kisumu in all facilities where they are born so that they can start receiving care,” Ganda said.
Victoria will serve as the county hub for newborn screening. It will receive samples from hospitals across Kisumu while providing sickle cell care for children and adults.
The county also plans to establish the Chun Jeong-eun Nyong’o Cancer Centre at Victoria. Ganda said the cancer screening initiative is expected to be established by December.
The changes have raised concerns over staff and services at Victoria, but Ganda assured health workers and patients that services would continue.
Nyong’o also assured staff that Victoria remains a government institution and that health workers are essential to its future.
“Continuity of services and care is our priority,” he said.
The county will continue supporting Victoria until it establishes its own bank account and financial and management systems. It will then provide the initial investment.
The boards will provide strategic oversight, scrutinise plans and budgets, monitor performance, strengthen accountability, and mobilise partnerships and resources.
Nyong’o said KCRH and Victoria should operate as complementary institutions rather than compete for patients or resources.
JOOTRH remains the National Level Six referral hospital, KCRH is the county’s major referral facility, while Victoria will focus on newborn screening, early cancer detection and sickle cell care.
Nyong’o challenged the boards to protect public resources, demand accountability and ensure planned investments translate into better services.
He said the ultimate test would be improved maternity care, earlier cancer diagnosis, timely sickle cell treatment and greater public confidence in Kisumu’s public health institutions.
