The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital has made medical history by successfully conducting its maiden pneumonectomy-a sensitive surgery involving the removal of an entire lung.
Another First in Western Kenya
The landmark lung surgery comes barely a week after JOOTRH conducted Western Kenya’s first cardiothoracic operation on 22 October, 2025.
In that earlier case, too, a mother of five underwent an esophagectomy-a demanding procedure to remove part of the oesophagus-after being diagnosed with stage II oesophageal cancer.
Grateful to her medical team, the said patient expressed relief and gratitude for the care given to her.
“I was not afraid. When sickness sets in, one just needs to find a way of getting treatment,” she added with optimism.
The two successful surgeries mark a new chapter for JOOTRH, positioning it as a leading centre for advanced cardiothoracic and vascular care in the region.
