JOOTRH in Kisumu is seeking additional funding to complete and equip its cancer centre.
The National Assembly Health Committee will push for extra funds to finish and equip the Kisumu facility through the supplementary budget.
The JOOTRH cancer centre in Kisumu could reach completion by December if additional funding becomes available. The National Assembly Health Committee has pledged to seek more money to finish construction and equip the facility.
The pledge followed an oversight visit to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. MPs assessed its operations, staffing and use of public funds as Parliament considers supplementary budget allocations.
Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli, who led the committee, expressed satisfaction with how the hospital had used its allocations. However, he said ongoing projects and upgrades required further investment.
JOOTRH cancer centre funding push
Sunkuli expressed hope that construction would conclude by December, depending on the availability of additional funds. Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron also identified the supplementary budget as an opportunity to secure more resources.
Oron said the project needed money for both construction and essential medical equipment to begin offering services. The committee will therefore present the hospital’s funding needs during parliamentary discussions.
The planned centre aims to improve access to specialised cancer care across the Lake Region Economic Bloc. The bloc covers about 15 counties, where many patients currently travel to Eldoret and other towns for treatment.
Sunkuli said the facility would serve patients beyond Kisumu, including Kisii, Western Kenya and parts of Narok County. Once complete and equipped, it is expected to reduce long journeys for specialised care.
Staffing and ageing buildings need attention
Meanwhile, the committee examined whether JOOTRH could meet the demands of its Level Six status. Oron said the hospital had expanded its responsibilities without recruiting the required number of staff.
As a result, the facility continued to rely on personnel seconded from the Kisumu County Government. Oron said the inspection also sought to assess prudent use of public resources and the hospital’s service capacity.
Beyond staffing, Sunkuli raised concerns about ageing buildings that need substantial investment to meet modern healthcare needs. He also highlighted asbestos removal as an important intervention because exposure to the material poses health risks.
Parliament had previously allocated money for that work, but Sunkuli said further investment remained necessary. He assured hospital managers that the committee would take their requests back to Parliament.
The committee had also inspected Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret during its oversight of major referral facilities. Its findings at JOOTRH will inform discussions on infrastructure modernisation and expanded specialised services.
