JOOTRH partners with Nairobi Hospital to fast-track cancer radiotherapy services

KENYA—Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) in Kenya has signed a two-year partnership with The Nairobi Hospital to provide subsidized radiotherapy services for cancer patients.

The collaboration addresses a critical gap in cancer care, as JOOTRH currently offers chemotherapy, palliative care, and screening but lacks a functional radiotherapy unit.

Cancer patients in the region have traditionally faced significant treatment delays.

Before this partnership, JOOTRH referred radiotherapy cases to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) or Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).

However, these national facilities struggle with overwhelming patient volumes, creating long waiting lists that often allow cancer to progress while patients wait for treatment.

The new agreement changes this dynamic by fast-tracking JOOTRH patients to The Nairobi Hospital’s radiotherapy facilities.

Patients will begin treatment within one week of referral, a dramatic improvement that could significantly impact survival rates and treatment outcomes.

“This partnership is about patient-centered care,” said JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr. Joshua Clinton Okise during the signing ceremony.

“By leveraging innovative partnerships, we are ensuring that our patients access specialized services without the burden of long wait times or prohibitive costs.”

Financial barriers have historically prevented many patients from accessing private radiotherapy services.

To address this challenge, the partnership includes a structured co-payment plan that makes The Nairobi Hospital’s high-quality radiotherapy services affordable for JOOTRH referrals.

This arrangement enables patients to start treatment almost immediately while managing costs that would otherwise be prohibitive for many families.

The partnership serves as a temporary solution while JOOTRH works toward establishing its own comprehensive cancer center.

This long-term goal will eventually provide the region with complete cancer care facilities under one roof.

Hospital data highlights the urgent need for improved cancer services in the region. Between 2012 and 2025, JOOTRH recorded 4,525 new cancer cases.

The statistics reveal a notable gender disparity, with women accounting for 54% of cases compared to 36% for men.

The most common diagnoses at the facility include cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer.

Dr. Fiona Adagi, JOOTRH’s Head of Oncology, emphasized the life-saving potential of timely radiotherapy access.

She described it as a “critical bridge” in the treatment journey that significantly improves outcomes for patients who previously had limited options beyond waiting for space at overcrowded national facilities.

The Memorandum of Collaboration was formally signed by Dr. Okise and Dr. Adagi in the presence of Ms. Mariella Awuor.

The partnership represents a proactive approach to healthcare delivery that prioritizes patient outcomes while addressing systemic challenges in Kenya’s cancer care infrastructure.