It is a new era of health reforms as Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) officially becomes a Level C5 parastatal, a status previously reserved for public universities.
During a visit to the facility, Principal Secretary (PS) for Medical Services Dr. Ouma Oluga said the shift from county to national status must be felt immediately, urging the management to embrace its new mandate.
Dr Oluga explained that the elevation is meant to attract and retain skilled health workers while positioning the hospital for financial sustainability, noting that national referral hospitals will no longer receive tax-based funding within five years.
“This facility is expected to change the story of health in this region,” he said, calling for diversification of revenue through clinical research, grant-writing, and the establishment of a modern simulation centre to improve training while generating income.
The PS also emphasized a people-first strategy, prioritizing staff welfare, patient safety, and community health. He urged JOOTRH to strengthen follow-up care and develop a public health strategy to address preventable diseases that burden the region.
Dr Oluga challenged specialists to mentor junior staff and revealed that a new hospital board will be appointed by month’s end.
According to the ministry of health, medical parastatals in Kenya, which are Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAS), are classified based on their function into categories like health delivery.
For example, Kenyatta National Hospital, Moi Teaching and referral Mental Referral Hospital, and now JOOTRH; medical training, e.g. Kenya Medical Training College; research (e.g., KEMRI, IPR); medical supplies and regulation e.g., Kenya Medical Supplies Authority; national health insurance e.g., NHIF), and specialized services e.g., Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority and the National cancer Institute of Kenya.
Jaramogi referral hospital will therefore focus on a combination of revenue stream to operate sustainably, and generate its own initiatives to improve patient outcomes.
