KISUMU, October 10, 2026 — The Ministry of Health has intervened at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) following public complaints about the quality of healthcare and patient experiences at the Kisumu-based referral facility.

Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga visited the hospital on Saturday, October 10, and met with staff to address concerns raised by members of the public.

Oluga said the Ministry expected the hospital to strengthen service delivery and ensure that patients' needs remained central to its operations.

“It's both in the value of the President's agenda that this hospital functions properly. I have met with the staff to reinforce that we must do everything possible to instil value-based healthcare,” Oluga said.

He acknowledged complaints circulating on social media and said hospital leadership was monitoring public feedback.

“We are also not blind to some complaints that are there on social media. Just so the staff knows that we are still at the helm of leadership and we are watching the responses in the community,” he added.

JOOTRH Staff to Undergo Transformational Training

Oluga said hospital employees would undergo transformational training aimed at strengthening teamwork and improving the delivery of healthcare services.

“For the staff, we are going to do a lot. We are going to do transformational training and look at how we work together in the cycle care,” he said.

The planned training is intended to encourage staff to work more effectively together and improve the experiences of patients seeking treatment at the facility.

The PS also challenged the hospital to assess whether its decisions and daily operations were producing the intended results for patients and the surrounding community.

“We have to look deeply and reflect on ourselves to see the accuracy of our actions and the experiences those actions produce for the people and the community,” he said.

Public Complaints Raise Questions About Patient Care

The Ministry's intervention follows criticism from members of the public who have shared their experiences at JOOTRH on social media.

Some individuals have alleged negligence, while families have recounted losing relatives while seeking treatment at the hospital. These accounts are allegations and require appropriate investigation.

One patient also raised concerns about delays in the discharge process, alleging that it could take an entire day even under the best circumstances and longer during normal operations.

The complaints have renewed calls for improved communication, more efficient hospital procedures and better patient experiences.

Oluga assured members of the public that the facility was intended to serve them and that their concerns should be addressed.

Hospital Announces Internal Investigation

JOOTRH had earlier announced an internal investigation into complaints raised against the facility.

The hospital also said it had engaged the complainant regarding the concerns she had presented.

The outcome of the investigation was not provided in the information available for this report.

The Ministry's latest engagement with hospital staff signals renewed attention to the concerns, with Oluga emphasizing accountability and the need to assess how hospital practices affect patients.

Ministry Emphasises Value-Based Healthcare

Oluga reiterated the need for JOOTRH to strengthen value-based healthcare, an approach that places patients' interests and the outcomes of treatment at the centre of service delivery.

He said the hospital needed to reflect on its practices and ensure that its actions resulted in better experiences for patients and the wider community.

The intervention comes as public concerns about healthcare access, waiting times and the quality of services continue to feature in discussions about the delivery of medical care.

The Ministry's planned staff training and the hospital's internal investigation will be important steps to watch as authorities respond to the complaints.