By Sandra Blessing
The fortunes of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) are on an upward trend, turning the institution into a medical hub not only in Western Kenya but nationally.
JOOTRH became one of five health facilities in the country selected to serve as Centres of Excellence for Advanced HIV Disease (AHD).
The selection was a move aimed at strengthening specialised care for patients with severe or advanced HIV disease.
The AHD Centre of Excellence model seeks to improve the management of patients at increased risk of life-threatening opportunistic infections and other complications associated with advanced HIV disease.
JOOTRH has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening AHD services and ensuring patients receive the intended comprehensive package of care.
The hospital’s progress was reviewed during a routine follow-up assessment conducted by the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) in collaboration with the Nyanza Western Regional HIV Technical Working Group.
The assessment provided an opportunity to evaluate progress made since multidisciplinary teams at JOOTRH—including physicians, nurses, laboratory and pharmacy teams—received specialised training in the management of advanced HIV disease.
The teams assessed services across key areas, including the medical and paediatric wards, pharmacy, laboratory and the Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC). Particular attention was given to the management of opportunistic infections such as cryptococcal meningitis, availability of essential commodities, laboratory capacity, patient follow-up and referral systems.
Leading the NASCOP team, Technical Advisor Dr Lazarus Momanyi said the assessment was an opportunity to review the hospital’s progress and identify areas requiring further strengthening.
JOOTRH manages critically ill patients with advanced HIV disease, including those suffering from cryptococcal meningitis and other opportunistic infections.
The hospital has also strengthened systems for ensuring availability of essential medicines, laboratory services, referrals and follow-up of patients.
JOOTRH Head of Internal Medicine Dr Eve Koile said the hospital has significantly strengthened its capacity to manage advanced HIV disease.
She attributed the progress to improved access to treatment and continued professional development among healthcare workers, which she said has contributed to improved patient care.
Dr Koile said, “JOOTRH has also leveraged its electronic medical records system to strengthen access to patient data for clinical decision-making, service planning and research.”
JOOTRH CEO Dr Joshua Clinton Okise welcomed continued collaboration with NASCOP and other partners, saying training, research, data-driven decision-making and strategic partnerships remain central to the hospital’s mandate as a teaching and referral institution.
Dr Okise also called for greater emphasis on HIV prevention alongside sustained access to condoms and accurate, reliable HIV information.
He called for strengthening referral networks to ensure patients can access appropriate care closer to their communities, while patients requiring specialised or complex treatment are referred to JOOTRH in a timely manner.
The hospital’s Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC), one of the pioneer HIV clinics in the country, continues to play a significant role in HIV testing, treatment and care.
Since October 2021, the clinic has conducted 78,456 HIV tests and successfully linked 1,443 newly diagnosed individuals to care.
The clinic currently reports a 96 per cent viral suppression rate among clients actively receiving Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), reflecting strong outcomes in HIV treatment and management.
Currently, the CCC supports 6,799 people on ART, comprising 2,375 men, 4,424 women and 150 children aged 0–14 years.
