A family has accused Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) of neglecting their critically ill mother, alleging delays in treatment, poor communication by medical staff and possible problems with oxygen equipment during her final hours.
The family also says it spent two days disputing a hospital bill after Teresia Omondi Ochieng’s death, including a charge for a catheter they say had not been used, before they were able to take her body away.
The allegations have prompted public debate about patient care at the Kisumu-based referral hospital, with other people sharing accounts of what they describe as inadequate nursing care, overcrowding and difficulties raising complaints.
The hospital has previously said it had begun investigating the concerns raised by the family.
But Grace Akinyi, the deceased Teresia’s daughter, says the family is still seeking substantive answers about the care her mother received and the circumstances surrounding her death.
“My mum was in pain. I was talking to my sister, and I could hear my mum crying in the background,” Akinyi said.
“Baby, I’m in pain. I’m in so much pain,” she recalled her mother telling her during a telephone conversation.
Akinyi, a Marie Curie Doctoral Researcher at POLIMI, MIlan, followed her mother’s treatment from abroad, relying on updates from relatives who remained at her bedside.
Her sister Elizabeth Ochieng and other relatives, including Nancy Achieng, accompanied and cared for their mother during her hospital stay.
Akinyi said the family repeatedly sought assistance as their mother’s condition deteriorated but felt their concerns were not adequately addressed.
The family wants the hospital to explain the treatment provided, investigate the incidents they reported and establish whether staff responded appropriately to their mother’s needs.
Admission and decision to seek discharge
Akinyi said her mother was taken to JOOTRH on July 12, 2026, but could not be admitted immediately because no bed was available.
She spent the night in the casualty department with relatives, she said. The following day, the woman was admitted to a ward.
Akinyi said the family became concerned about her safety after she was placed in a room with another patient whose behaviour she described as aggressive and unpredictable.
Her mother could not stand or walk without assistance, Akinyi said. The family requested alternative accommodation but was told no other room was available.
Elizabeth decided to remain with their mother overnight.
“We had already established that my mum couldn’t spend another night in that place,” Akinyi said.
On July 14, Elizabeth requested that their mother be discharged so she could be transferred to another facility, according to Akinyi.
She alleged that the hospital closed her mother’s file and stopped her medication while the discharge process was under way, despite her worsening condition.
The process took about a day and a half, during which the woman continued to experience severe pain, Akinyi said.
Concerned about her mother’s condition, Akinyi contacted a doctor she knew who worked at the hospital, hoping he could intervene.
She alleged that the nurse responsible for her mother’s care subsequently confronted Elizabeth and accused the family of contacting the doctor.
The nurse threatened to leave them to care for their mother themselves, Akinyi said. The confrontation occurred in front of their mother, who was already distressed, she said.
“You are doomed if you call the doctor, you are doomed if you don’t,” Akinyi said.
In a separate public account, she warned families against contacting doctors they knew at the hospital if they feared reprisals from nursing staff.
She also described relatives kneeling and pleading with nurses to assist critically ill patients. The account of the confrontation has not been independently verified.
The family eventually abandoned plans to transfer their mother to Avenue Healthcare and moved her to JOOTRH’s private wing, known as Prime Care, in the hope that she would receive better care.
Concerns over care in private wing
Akinyi alleged that delays in responding to patients continued after the transfer.
On one occasion, she said, relatives found their mother lying on a wet bedsheet. When they asked nurses to change it, they were told it would be done later.
The family subsequently bought incontinence sheets and sent them to Kisumu, she said.
Akinyi described her mother as someone who took pride in personal cleanliness. “There was nothing prime about Prime Care,” she said.
As her mother’s condition deteriorated, she was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU). Akinyi said this was when the family was told that her mother’s kidneys had failed.
Family seeks explanation for kidney infection.
Akinyi said the family had previously been told that their mother was being treated for a urinary tract infection.
The reported serious kidney infection, which led to sepsis shock came as a shock because, according to Akinyi, her mother had no known history of kidney problems.
“We didn’t know what my mum had been diagnosed with until the day she went to ICU. That was when the hospital told us her kidneys had failed,” she said.
Akinyi said the family had medical records from German hospital in Nairobi, where their mother underwent tests in July 2026.
She said the results showed that her mother’s organs were in good condition at the time.
The records were not independently reviewed for this report. Their reported findings do not, on their own, establish when the kidney failure developed or what caused it.
The family wants the hospital to explain when the condition was identified, what treatment was provided and how their mother’s condition deteriorated.
Allegations over ICU care and oxygen equipment
Akinyi alleged that Elizabeth repeatedly sought assistance from nurses while their mother was in the ICU, sometimes kneeling before them.
In one incident, Elizabeth found that an intravenous drip had emptied onto the bed and floor rather than entering their mother’s body as intended, Akinyi said.
The family reported the incident but felt their concerns were not taken seriously, she added.
Akinyi also said her mother asked staff to help adjust her neck, but the family felt the request was not adequately addressed.
Relatives were not allowed to perform certain tasks themselves in the ICU, she said, questioning why staff did not intervene promptly when assistance was requested.
“If you’re not allowing me to do it, then why can’t you do it yourself?” she said.
The family has also raised concerns about the oxygen equipment being used by their mother on the night she died.
Akinyi said Elizabeth found that the water in the equipment had run out, although tubing remained connected to their mother’s nose.
“My sister found the oxygen water (imeisha) is finished but they still plug the machine (bado wameplug iyo machine kwa mapua ya mama) on mother’s nose,” Akinyi said, describing what she believed her family had witnessed.
She said the incident raised questions about whether the equipment was functioning properly and whether their mother had experienced difficulty breathing.
Akinyi said the family later consulted a medical acquaintance who told them that the water in the equipment should not run out while it was being used on a patient.
The type of oxygen equipment involved, whether oxygen delivery was interrupted and whether a malfunction occurred could not be independently established for this report.
There was also no independent medical evidence available linking the reported incident to the woman’s death.
Akinyi said the family wanted the hospital’s investigation to establish what happened during their mother’s final hours and whether staff responded appropriately to their concerns.
According to a report the family received, their mother was found lifeless at 22:53 pm.
Akinyi said she was not claiming that any single incident caused her mother’s death. Rather, she wanted the hospital to investigate what she described as repeated failures to respond to her mother’s needs.
JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Joshua Clinton Okise did not respond to requests for comment on the allegations of interrupted oxygen delivery, nursing negligence and other concerns raised by the family.
He also did not respond to questions about the disputed billing of services or supplies the family said had not been used.
The allegations therefore remain unverified, and the hospital’s specific account of the incidents was not available for this report.
Disputed hospital bill
The family’s difficulties continued after their mother’s death, when relatives began the process of settling the hospital bill so they could take her body away.
Akinyi said they discovered a charge for a catheter that, according to the family, had not been used.
Hospital staff explained that their mother had been prepared for dialysis but died before the procedure could take place, and that supplies intended for the procedure had consequently been included in the bill, Akinyi said.
The family questioned why it was being charged for an item it believed had not been used.
They spent two days moving between the billing office, the hospital store and other staff members as they tried to have the charge removed, she said.
Staff asked them to establish whether the catheter had been returned and to locate the doctor who had handled it, Akinyi said.
When the family returned the following day, she alleged, they faced further questions and a member of the billing staff spoke to them rudely.
Akinyi said she had travelled on a 13-hour flight and was exhausted as she tried to resolve the dispute while coping with her mother’s death.
She eventually raised her voice at the billing reception, attracting the attention of other people waiting there.
Some came forward to share their own frustrations with the hospital, she said.
A male staff working in a nearby office asked what had happened. After Akinyi explained the dispute, he took the paperwork to a computer.
The correction was made within minutes, she said. “If this correction is something that could be done in under two minutes, why would they subject us to two days of walking into one office and the other office?” she asked.
The family subsequently paid the bill and left with their mother’s body.
The disputed charge and the circumstances surrounding its correction could not be independently verified.
Okise did not respond to questions about the family’s allegation that it had been billed for a service or supply that had not been used.
Dispute over hospital’s public response
Akinyi’s account gained traction on social media, prompting other Kenyans to share their experiences and call for changes at the hospital.
JOOTRH subsequently issued a statement saying it had taken note of the concerns and had contacted Akinyi to discuss her complaints.
Akinyi disputed the hospital’s account, saying it gave the impression that management had held meaningful discussions with her when, in her view, it had not.
She said a woman who identified herself as Lorraine Opondo, the hospital’s communications director, contacted her through Facebook after her account gained attention.
According to Akinyi, Opondo accused her of being bitter towards the institution. Akinyi said she later shared the message publicly.
She also said that, at about 8pm on the evening before she issued a further statement, a person who identified himself as Okise contacted her through WhatsApp.
The profile displayed a chief executive officer title, she said.
According to Akinyi, the person said he had read her concerns on Facebook, wished she had raised the matter directly with management and apologised.
She said she did not respond and that the messages were deleted several minutes later.
Akinyi said she had retained chat records, which were not independently verified for this report.
Akinyi said she chose not to engage because the matter had moved beyond a private complaint between her family and the hospital.
“By that point, this was no longer a private complaint between me and the hospital,” she said, adding that other Kenyans had contacted her with accounts of their own experiences.
She questioned what she described as an emphasis on directing complainants through official channels, arguing that patients and relatives might feel their concerns would not be addressed.
She also criticised social media posts praising the hospital that appeared after her allegations were widely discussed.
Akinyi called on the hospital to explain what had been discussed during the reported engagement, what measures management had proposed and what investigations had been initiated.
“Clearly, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital is more concerned with managing the story than changing anything,” she said.
Her criticism highlights a dispute over both the treatment her mother received and the hospital’s handling of complaints.
The hospital has said it takes complaints seriously and that the allegations are under investigation.
Other patients and families raise concerns
Akinyi’s account has prompted other people including doctors and staff at the hospital to secretly share allegations about patient care at JOOTRH, including delays in assistance, nurses’ conduct, overcrowding and restrictions on caregivers.
Winnie Bonyo, who said she had spent considerable time at the facility while caring for a relative, described an experience she believed would remain with her for years.
Bonyo alleged that some nurses were dismissive towards patients and caregivers, including when patients needed help with basic personal care.
She said she was particularly concerned about what she perceived as a lack of empathy among some night-shift staff and situations in which caregivers were asked to leave while, in her view, patients did not receive the assistance they needed.
Her account has not been independently verified.
On his Facebook account, Ogola Omondi, also known as Sirkal, said healthcare workers should recognise that patients and their families often seek help when they are frightened and distressed.
He argued that contacting a doctor known to a family should not automatically be treated as an attempt to interfere with medical procedures.
A separate account circulating publicly has raised allegations about conditions in Ward 5, where new mothers were reportedly being held because of outstanding hospital bills.
The account alleged that some women had limited freedom of movement, struggled to find beds and slept on cold floors with their newborn babies.
It also claimed that some mothers lacked family support and that their bills continued to accumulate while they remained in the ward.
A pastor who reportedly visited the mothers to pray with them was said to have been distressed by the conditions.
The allegations could not be independently verified. A response from JOOTRH specifically addressing the claims about Ward 5 was not available for this report.
The claims raise questions about the treatment of patients who cannot settle medical bills, particularly women who have recently given birth and newborns who depend on them for care.
Health officials call for action
The allegations have also drawn reactions from political and health leaders.
On his Facebook account, Kileleshwa MCA Robert Alai called for changes in the hospital’s leadership, arguing that those responsible for poor patient experiences should be held accountable.
Dr Gregory Ganda, Kisumu County’s executive committee member for health, said he had received messages and requests to intervene over concerns about JOOTRH.
Ganda said the hospital was under national management and was no longer operated by the county government.
He said he would communicate the concerns to the relevant leadership and encouraged people with specific complaints to report them formally so they could be investigated.
“As a doctor, it troubles me to hear any patient describe being treated without dignity,” he said.
He added that complaints, accountability and action were important to improving healthcare services.
The debate comes as members of the public question whether the hospital’s status as a Level 6A national teaching and referral facility is reflected in the quality of care patients receive.
For critics, the concerns extend beyond infrastructure and medical equipment to the treatment of patients and relatives during periods of vulnerability.
Hospital says investigation is under way
In a statement issued under Okise’s name, JOOTRH said it had taken note of the concerns raised publicly by Akinyi and had begun investigating the allegations.
“Management wishes to assure the public that we take all complaints and concerns raised by our patients, clients and members of the public seriously,” the statement said.
The hospital said it had contacted Akinyi and engaged her over the concerns she raised.
It added that she had been assured the complaints were receiving attention and that mechanisms were in place to address the reported matters.
Akinyi disputed that account, saying she had not responded to the messages she described and had not participated in the substantive discussion implied by the hospital’s statement.
The hospital said it remained committed to providing safe, compassionate, respectful and quality healthcare services.
It encouraged patients and members of the public with complaints to use its established complaints and customer-care channels and asked the public to allow the investigation to proceed.
Management said appropriate action would be taken based on the findings.
The statement did not provide specific findings on the individual allegations raised by Akinyi or address the separate claims about conditions in the maternity ward.
At the time of writing, no findings from the hospital’s investigation had been made available to the public.
Principal secretary visits hospital
Principal Secretary for Medical Services Dr Ouma Oluga visited JOOTRH following the public concerns over alleged negligence and the treatment of patients at the facility.
The visit came amid calls for improvements in patient safety, the handling of complaints and the quality of services at the hospital.
Dr Oluga said the government would work to improve healthcare services and ensure patients received appropriate care.
“We will ensure that when you come to this facility, there is no other agenda than your health,” he said.
He urged members of the public to raise complaints through appropriate channels, saying feedback was essential to identifying gaps in service delivery.
Dr Oluga also announced plans for transformational training for nurses aimed at improving teamwork and strengthening patient-centred care.
He said the focus would be on the entire cycle of care, ensuring patients received appropriate attention throughout their time at the hospital.
“We have heard your concerns, and we are here for you,” he said.
The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for hospital management and healthcare workers to address concerns raised by the public and identify measures to improve service delivery.
JOOTRH serves patients from across western Kenya and beyond, making the quality of care at the facility a significant concern for the region.
Family seeks answers
For Akinyi and her siblings, the loss of their mother has been compounded by questions about the care she received during her final days.
She said relatives who witnessed their mother’s suffering were struggling to come to terms with what happened.
“My whole family that saw that humiliation are suffering from trauma,” she said.
Akinyi recalled receiving a telephone call from her sister at 3 am in which Elizabeth expressed regret about taking their mother to the hospital.
“My sister called me at 3am the other day, telling me she wished we hadn’t taken mum to that hospital,” she said.
Akinyi said her elder brother also became visibly shaken when the family’s final days with their mother were discussed.
She said other Kenyans had contacted her since she shared her account, describing experiences they believed were similar to those of her family.
Akinyi wants the hospital to complete its investigation, explain the treatment provided and establish whether the concerns raised by her family were addressed appropriately.
Her mother’s death, she said, was painful enough. What has stayed with her is the feeling that the family could do little as someone they loved suffered.
“You are literally seeing your mum die, and you cannot help,” she said.
The family is waiting for answers about the circumstances surrounding their mother’s death. Whether the hospital’s investigation will resolve those questions remains to be seen.
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