The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Health has pledged to seek additional funding to complete and equip the cancer centre at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kisumu.
The committee, which visited the hospital on Thursday, said the facility was critical to improving access to cancer treatment in the Lake Region, where patients often travel long distances to seek specialised care.
Committee vice-chairman Julius Sunkuli said the team had identified funding gaps affecting the completion of the centre and the hospital’s ability to provide services at Level Six standards.
He said the committee would push for additional allocations during the supplementary budgeting process to help complete the project and equip the facility.
“We are hoping that we will be able to add them a little more to finish the building and equip it so that by January or February, people don’t have to travel to Eldoret to access cancer treatment,” said Sunkuli.
The committee expressed concern over congestion in the hospital’s existing oncology unit, where members said they had seen nearly 60 patients crowded into one section of a room.
Sunkuli said the new cancer centre would serve patients from across the Lake Region Economic Bloc, which comprises about 15 counties.
He noted that patients from counties including Migori and Homa Bay currently travel to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret for cancer treatment, adding to pressure on the facility.
Cancer centre 85% complete
JOOTRH chief executive officer Dr Joshua Okise said the hospital had completed development projects funded through an earlier allocation of Sh230 million, which the committee had inspected and found satisfactory.
He said the hospital had also received Sh400 million towards the construction of the cancer centre, which is now 85 per cent complete.
However, Okise said a further Sh172 million was required to complete the construction, with additional funding needed to equip the facility.
The hospital has submitted a request for Sh1.6 billion to support the equipping of the cancer centre.
Okise said the committee had pledged to support the hospital in securing additional resources for the project and addressing staffing shortages.
He also acknowledged an allocation of about Sh1.9 billion to facilitate the transition of staff from the Kisumu County Government to the national government-run institution, but said more funding was needed to recruit additional personnel.
Staffing gaps raise concerns
The committee also assessed staffing levels, infrastructure and the quality of care at the hospital, which attained Level Six status about a year ago.
Sunkuli said the national government had yet to provide the hospital with the required number of staff to support its expanded mandate.
He said the committee had discussed concerns over service delivery with the hospital management and was encouraged by the progress made so far.
The committee pledged to work towards securing resources to improve staffing, infrastructure and medical equipment.
JOOTRH board chairman Dr Olango Onudi said the board had presented the challenges affecting service delivery to the committee and welcomed its commitment to address them.
He said the board expected improvements in services in the coming months following assurances from Parliament and the government.
Hospital seeks patient feedback
Okise urged patients and their relatives to report complaints through the hospital’s established channels to enable management to address concerns promptly.
He said the hospital had introduced suggestion boxes and exit feedback forms to help patients share their experiences and identify areas requiring improvement.
The committee’s visit was part of its oversight role to assess the use of public resources and determine whether investments in the hospital were delivering the intended results.
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