The Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has been promoted to a Level C5 parastatal, a preserve of public universities.
The Principal Secretary of Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, announced this during a visit to the hospital.
He stated that the new status raises the facility from the county to the national level and that the impact should be felt with immediate effect.
This hospital will change the story of health in this area,” Dr. Oluga stated.
The transformation he added, is also meant to position JOOTRH to attract and retain top talent, and prepare it to be financially self-sustaining.
National referral hospitals, he explained, in five years to come will not be depending solely on government funding.
To boost revenue, Dr. Oluga challenged the hospital to diversify into clinical research, application for grants, and setting up a cutting-edge simulation centre that would support training as well as generate revenue.
The PS also called for enhanced focus on staff welfare, patient safety, and public health, including follow-up care and tackling preventable diseases that kill scores in the region.
He urged senior specialists to guide younger staff and said a new hospital board will be put in place by the end of the month to oversee the transition.
