JOOTRH introduces real-time cancer diagnostic technique in western Kenya

KENYA—The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has successfully introduced a rapid diagnostic procedure that allows surgeons to detect disease in real time while a patient is still in surgery.

The breakthrough positions the Kisumu-based facility as the only hospital in Western Kenya currently offering the specialized service.

The procedure, known as intraoperative pathological assessment using imprint cytology, enables pathologists to identify cancer cells within minutes.

During the process, specialists press fresh tissue samples onto a glass slide to create what doctors describe as a “cellular fingerprint.”

Pathologists then examine the sample immediately, allowing surgeons to make informed decisions in the operating theatre without waiting days or weeks for laboratory results.

New hope for cancer patients

The technology recently proved critical in the treatment of 63-year-old Margarita Atieno Masiga, a farmer and widow from Siaya County who was diagnosed with both cervical and breast cancer.

Recalling the emotional moment she received the diagnosis, Mrs. Masiga said she initially asked doctors to pause and carefully consider the next course of action.

However, a multidisciplinary medical team at JOOTRH moved quickly to plan her treatment.

The team, which included Dr. Nyamohanga Marwa, Dr. Ng’ong’a Albert, Dr. Walong, Dr. Joan Mittow, and Dr. Nyamari, used imprint cytology during a sentinel lymph node biopsy to determine whether the cancer had spread.

The rapid assessment helped surgeons avoid extensive tissue removal that could have exposed the patient to complications such as lymphedema, a painful swelling condition commonly associated with aggressive lymph node surgery.

Mrs. Masiga first underwent a radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer before receiving a mastectomy and specialized axillary surgery one week later.

Barriers to treatment

Although she attended annual screenings consistently, Mrs. Masiga’s medical journey became increasingly difficult after doctors detected a lump during her third year of testing.

Her treatment was delayed by healthcare worker strikes in Bondo and the breakdown of a CT scan machine in Siaya County.

She later sought treatment at JOOTRH after private hospital bills became unaffordable.

What she expected to be a routine oncology clinic appointment on April 21 quickly turned into an emergency admission for surgery.

“I went to meet doctors elsewhere, but the bill I couldn’t manage,” she said.

Cancer has deeply affected her family, with both a brother and stepsister having died from the disease, while another sister survived breast cancer.

Despite the emotional toll, Mrs. Masiga continues to encourage her children to remain focused on school and daily life.

Expanding specialized cancer care

The new diagnostic service comes as JOOTRH continues to expand specialized oncology services across Western Kenya.

Recently, the hospital announced plans to operationalize a comprehensive cancer centre equipped with radiotherapy services to reduce referrals to hospitals in Nairobi and Eldoret.

The facility has also strengthened breast cancer screening and follow-up programs through the Kisumu Breast Cancer Project, which supports subsidized diagnostic services for vulnerable patients across the region.

In recent months, JOOTRH has further expanded advanced healthcare services by introducing minimally invasive chest surgery, acquiring modern endoscopy equipment, and strengthening digital healthcare systems through a fully paperless hospital model.