JOOTRH Cancer Centre targets December completion as MPs seek more funds

KISUMU, Kenya, Oct 29 — The National Assembly Health Committee has pledged to push for additional funding to complete and equip the cancer centre at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu, as Parliament considers supplementary budget allocations.

The pledge followed an oversight visit to the Level VI referral hospital to assess its operations, staffing levels and utilisation of public resources.

The committee, led by Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli, said the findings would inform parliamentary discussions on the hospital’s financial and operational needs, including funding to modernise infrastructure and expand specialised services.

“Usually we are the ones who appropriate funds for these facilities, and because of that we have the responsibility to oversight these facilities,” Sunkuli said.

He said the committee was satisfied with the utilisation of funds allocated to JOOTRH but noted that additional resources were needed to complete ongoing projects and upgrade the facility.

The cancer centre was among the key projects discussed during the visit, with Sunkuli expressing hope that construction would be completed by December, subject to the availability of additional funding.

“Once that cancer centre is ready, it will serve this region, not just Kisumu, Kisii, Western, right down up to parts of our Narok County,” he said.

The proposed centre is expected to improve access to specialised cancer treatment for patients across the Lake Region Economic Bloc, which comprises about 15 counties. Many patients currently travel to Eldoret and other towns to access cancer care.

Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron, a member of the committee, said the inspection sought to establish whether public resources were being used prudently and whether the hospital had the capacity to meet the demands of its Level Six status.

Oron said the hospital was yet to recruit the required number of staff despite its expanded responsibilities, and continued to rely on personnel seconded from the Kisumu County Government.

“The hospital is growing since its elevation, but it has not gotten the required number of staff,” Oron said.

He said completing the cancer centre would require additional funding for construction and essential medical equipment to make the facility operational.

Oron identified the upcoming supplementary budget process as an opportunity for the committee to push for additional allocations to accelerate the project.

Sunkuli said the committee was also concerned about JOOTRH’s ageing infrastructure, noting that some buildings required substantial investment to meet modern healthcare needs.

“We want this hospital to look new again, because it was built for another generation,” he said.

He also highlighted the removal of asbestos from some hospital buildings as an important intervention because of the health risks associated with exposure to the material. Parliament had previously allocated funds for the exercise, but further investment was still needed, he said.

Sunkuli assured hospital management that the committee would present the facility’s funding needs to Parliament.

“The National Assembly has been requested by today’s meeting to do more, and when we retreat back to Parliament we will ensure that we deliver,” he said.

The committee had also visited Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret as part of its oversight of major referral facilities.

JOOTRH is seeking to strengthen its capacity to provide specialised services following its elevation to Level Six, increasing the demands on its infrastructure, staffing and medical equipment.

Once completed and equipped, the cancer centre is expected to reduce the need for patients in the region to travel long distances for specialised treatment.