Kisumu county is hosting the first international neuroscience symposium in Kenya.
The event brings together over 100 specialists from across the globe to discuss issues in the field.
The governor’s communications director Aloice Ager said the international neuroscience symposium is the brainchild of Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative that seeks to bridge the gaps in neurology in the region.
Ager said the initiative was conceived by Governor Anyang’ Nyongó with professionals in the county and those working in the diaspora Victor Awuor and Bethwel Raore, both neurosurgeons in the USA.
“Kisumu Neuroscience Initiative has since carried out five camps having attended to 1904 patients with 300 benefiting from complex specialised surgical procedures,” he said.
The initiative focuses on training and research as well as investment in equipment and infrastructure.
“All these are in consonance with the governor’s vision of making Kisumu a centre of medical excellence and a hub for medico-tourism,” he added.
The symposium will runs from Friday evening to Saturday.
On Monday, neurosurgeons will operate on patients suffering traumatic brain injury, tumors and spinal trauma at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.
The 80 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 subsidized 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 Western Kenya.
“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 ranges from Sh500,000 to Sh1.5 million.
