Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has emerged as a model for digital healthcare after moving fully to a paperless system.
Principal Secretaries toured the hospital and praised the facility for using technology to improve patient care and reduce long waiting times.
Dr Ouma Oluga, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Medical Services led the team, and he was joined by PS for Children Welfare Services, Carren Achieng Ageng’o, PS for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy Fikirini Jacobs and PS for Trade Regina Akoth Ombam.
During the visit, the officials were taken through the Accident and Emergency Department, where patients are no longer recorded in paper registers. Instead, all patient details are captured digitally from the time they arrive, making it easier for doctors and nurses to track treatment.
The team was also shown AfyaKE digital system, which connects clinical services, laboratories, pharmacies and medical records, and how it works. Currently, the doctors use tablets to send requests directly to labs and pharmacies, cutting down on patient movement and long queues.
JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Joshua Clinton Okise said the hospital has completely done away with paper files, ending years of lost records and delays.
“Patient information is now available in real time, which helps our teams work faster and more accurately,” Dr Okise said. He added that the system also supports services at the hospital’s Victoria Annex and Prime Acre Amenity Wing.
Dr Oluga noted that hospital managers can now monitor patient numbers, drug use and laboratory work through live dashboards, helping them make quick and informed decisions.
Although the digital system is already in use, the hospital is still expanding it to cover more service areas in phases.
The visit highlighted the government’s push to use technology to improve healthcare services under the Social Health Authority, with officials saying digital systems are key to better, transparent and people-focused care.
