Neurosurgeons yesterday began offering surgeries to patients suffering traumatic brain injuries, tumours and spinal traumas at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The 80 screened and booked patients from across Western Kenya will be operated on by 20 doctors from the United States of America for the next 10 days.
The procedures expected to cost more than Sh15 million will be subsidised by the Kisumu county government.
The county will contribute over Sh5 million in medicines and other services while the specialists will offer their expertise pro bono.
Hospital CEO Peter Okoth said cases requiring neurological interventions are rampant within the Western Kenya region.
“We are happy because we have patients from across western Kenya and others are coming from as far as Entebbe and part of Tanzania for this camp,” he said.
The average cost for such procedures range from half a million to Sh1.5 million.
This camp is a partnership between neurosurgeons from Nyanza region who work in parts of USA.
Victor Awuondo, a neurosurgeon based in Ohio said the aim is to make JOOTRH a centre of medical excellence in the region.
Awoundo said they wanted a place with good infrastructure that supports their mission not only for doing surgeries but also for education purposes.
Kenya has only 20 neurosurgeons, and need 60 more to meet World Health Organisation requirements.
In January this year, governor Nyong’o unveiled Sh35 million worth of specialised neurosurgical equipment donated to the county by World Health Relief in America.
Nyong’o said the equipment, to be distributed to health facilities across Kisumu county would enable local hospital to deliver specialised health surgical services to those in need.
“Our goal is to increase access to neurosurgeries and at the same time team up with the hospital to start a training programme for neurosurgeons,” Awuondo said.
He added, “We want next generation of neurosurgeons to come from this facility which can be made a centre for excellence.”
According to the governor’s press chief Aloice Ager, the camp is part of the Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative.
Ager said the initiative aims to fill the existing personnel gap in the field of neurosurgery.
