By James Okoth
A groundbreaking high-precision cornea transplant performed at Bloom Hospital has marked a major milestone in specialised healthcare in Kisumu County, positioning the Level 4 private facility among the region’s emerging centres for advanced surgical care.
The delicate operation – the first of its kind at the hospital and among the few undertaken in the region – was successfully conducted by consultant ophthalmologist Dr Mansur Yildirim, offering fresh hope to patients suffering from corneal blindness who previously had to seek treatment in Nairobi or outside the country.
Dr Yildirim said the highly specialised procedure takes about 30 minutes, after which patients undergo close follow-up until complete healing.
“This is a high-precision operation. Our responsibility does not end in theatre. We continuously monitor every patient until complete healing. At our centre, we do not look at our patients as business but as people seeking medical care,” he said.
The achievement underscores Bloom Hospital’s growing reputation as a centre for advanced surgeries since opening its doors in 2019 as a surgical centre before expanding into comprehensive medical services.
Today, the hospital operates a 30-bed, 24-hour facility equipped with two operating theatres, two intensive care units (ICUs), a High Dependency Unit (HDU), a neonatal unit, and a specialised Eye Centre, offering both general and highly specialised surgical services.
Its services now include general surgery, laparoscopic surgery, orthopaedic surgery, paediatric surgery, obstetrics and gynaecological surgery, cataract surgery, and other complex eye procedures.
The hospital also runs specialist outpatient clinics in internal medicine, paediatrics, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopaedics, dermatology, nephrology, oncology, and urology.
Chief Executive Officer Aiman Mohamed said the institution has deliberately built its services around quality care and dignity for patients.
“We are dealing with human beings. That is my belief. We handle each case uniquely. This means that we do not hold any patient for not being able to pay our hospital bill, which is quite affordable despite being a private facility,” Mohamed said.
The hospital has embraced the Social Health Authority (SHA) as a key pillar of healthcare financing, enabling more patients to access treatment without being asked to make cash top-ups.
Mohamed said Bloom’s long-term vision is to become a regional Centre of Excellence for specialised surgeries, including cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology, ENT, and other advanced medical disciplines.
“Our goal is to become the centre for excellence for surgeries including cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology and ENT, while continuously increasing the number of specialised services we offer to the public,” he said.
Bloom Hospital also works closely with leading medical specialists, among them Dr Gregory Ganda, a renowned cancer specialist.
Mohamed attributed part of the hospital’s growth to its collaboration with the Kisumu County Government.
“We have a very good relationship with the county government. Through that partnership, we hosted a medical delegation from Dubai. More than 500 patients were attended to, with hundreds successfully undergoing cataract surgeries during the outreach,” he said.
The hospital’s Eye Centre has rapidly grown into one of the busiest specialist units in the region, recently restoring sight to hundreds of patients during the eye medical camp.
Despite the rapid growth, Mohamed acknowledged that increasing patient numbers have stretched the available space.
“Our main challenge is space. We are trying to manage the growing numbers while expanding our facilities. Even as we add more floors, we are encouraging an appointment booking system to improve efficiency. We also provide home-care arrangements through private doctor-patient consultations where necessary,” he said.
With the successful cornea transplant now added to its list of advanced procedures, Bloom Hospital is strengthening Kisumu’s position as an emerging regional hub for specialised healthcare, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances in search of life-changing surgical treatment.
