Kisumu Governor, Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o has disclosed that he underwent a successful delicate spinal cord surgery at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) last week.
Governor Nyong’o said he took the opportunity to seek medical services at the Referral hospital as a way of expressing confidence in local medical facilities.
Nyong’o says he has had a recurring severe pain in his spine.
He noted that the Referral hospital annually hosts a team of international neurosurgeons who perform different surgeries at the facility.
“Last week on Friday, I checked at this hospital after I was told a team of doctors from abroad plus our own doctors would be performing certain surgeries,” he said.
Nyong’o says his family had preferred to have him operated on in hospitals in Nairobi but he chooses to have it carried out in Kisumu.
Addressing the media at the hospital on Monday, five days after he was discharged from the surgical ward, Governor Nyong’o was full of praise for the JOOTRH, staff and a team of visiting surgeons for performing what he termed a historic surgery at the facility.
“I am so happy. I am feeling very okay. I can now walk and sit with ease,” he said.
“Many people could not imagine such a surgery can be done in a public hospital,” said Prof Nyong’o who was accompanied by his wife Dorothy and a team of doctors who performed the surgery.
Nyong’o noted that the visiting neurosurgery team led by Dr Bethwel Raore from Atlanta, together with the JOOTRH team have proven that with adequate skill development, complex surgeries can be performed successfully right here in Kisumu.
The Governor said the neurosurgery team have been visiting JOOTRH regularly, annually for the past eight years.
“The ICU nurses were very caring and professional, especially Nurse Vincent Odingo. The ICU doctor, Dr. Babu was on hand to receive me and advice on my care,” said Nyong’o.
The Governor was discharged the next day on Saturday noting that the surgery has given him tremendous relief on his nerves, which were being compressed by tissue stenosis in a condition known as Cauda Equina Syndrome.
He called on the department of health in the county to continue enhancing health services in the county at all levels so that locals can get the best health care possible at affordable rates.
“It is now very clear to me that even with the existing resources, both human and technical, we have the capacity to treat conditions that we sometimes shy away from and end up spending huge personal resources elsewhere,” he said.
The Kisumu Neuroscience initiative has been organized by Dr Bethwel Raore from Atlanta, Georgia, Dr Victor Awuor from Columbus, Ohio and Dr Timothy Ogutu from Dusseldorf, Germany.
All neurosurgeons make an annual quarterly rotation to JOOTRH to perform surgery and to provide training in order to increase the local capabilities.
