Milestone as JOOTRH acquires open-heart surgery machine

 

Patients in western Kenya with life-threatening heart conditions will soon access open-heart surgery closer home after JOOTRH acquired advanced equipment to launch the service.

 Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has received the Essence Perfusion System, a heart-lung machine manufactured by Germany-based Livanova, becoming the first public or private health facility in Kenya to install the technology.

 The machine temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs during open-heart surgery, allowing surgeons to operate on a still heart.

 JOOTRH Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Specialist Dr Juma Odoro said the hospital invested in the latest technology to provide sustainable cardiac care.

 "We decided to go for the latest machine in the market because these machines come with various technologies and highly advanced systems that can be used for several years to come," he said.

 The acquisition marks a major milestone for the hospital, which has previously performed thoracic, vascular and closed-heart procedures but lacked the equipment needed for open-heart surgery.

 The service comes amid a shortage of cardiac surgery facilities in Kenya. The country requires an estimated 10,000 open-heart surgeries annually, but existing facilities perform only between 1,000 and 1,500 procedures.

 At JOOTRH, the cardiac clinic receives three to four patients each week who require surgery, translating to nearly 200 patients annually from Kisumu and neighbouring counties, including Busia, Migori and parts of western Kenya and the lake region.

 Many patients have been forced to travel to Nairobi, Eldoret or Mombasa for treatment, while others have died before accessing surgery.

 Cardiothoracic specialist Dr Robert Sadia said the new service would reduce the burden of travelling long distances for patients with fragile health.

 "A key symptom of cardiac ailments is that patients get tired even after walking short distances. Asking them to travel to Eldoret, Nairobi or the Coast for treatment has always been a huge burden," she said.

 Open-heart surgeries are expected to begin in August once the remaining surgical consumables arrive.

 Initially, JOOTRH plans to conduct about 10 surgeries a month, translating to approximately 120 procedures in the first year.

 The first phase will focus on adult patients with valve diseases caused mainly by rheumatic heart disease, as well as intracardiac tumours.

 More complex procedures, including Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) and paediatric cardiac surgery, will be introduced later.

 The hospital has assembled a multidisciplinary cardiac team comprising three cardiothoracic surgeons, including Prof Stephen Ogendo of Maseno University School of Medicine, cardiac anaesthetists, perfusionists and specialised theatre nurses.

 Hospital officials said the investment would reduce costs for patients.

 Open-heart surgery in private hospitals costs between Sh1.7 million and Sh1.9 million, while JOOTRH estimates the cost at between Sh400,000 and Sh700,000.

 With the Social Health Authority (SHA) covering approximately Sh950,000 per cardiac procedure, eligible patients will access the surgeries at no additional cost.

 The launch is expected to improve access to specialised cardiac care for millions of residents in western Kenya and neighbouring countries.