Kisumu: Patients battling breast and soft tissue cancers in Nyanza and Western regions are set to benefit from a specialized surgical oncology camp to be held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) early next month. The four-day medical camp, scheduled for November 4 to 7, is a collaboration between Maseno University, JOOTRH, and a team of national and international surgeons. The initiative aims to deliver advanced, life-saving surgical interventions to patients, who may otherwise face long waiting times or prohibitive treatment costs.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Marwa Nyamohanga, the Faculty Lead at JOOTRH and Maseno University, stated that the camp will offer a wide range of specialized procedures including mastectomies, breast-conserving surgeries, breast reconstruction after mastectomy, reduction mammoplasties, and surgeries for soft tissue sarcomas. ‘This initiative brings world-class expertise closer to our patients. Many patients in Western Kenya travel long dist
ances or wait for months to access oncology surgeries in Nairobi. This camp will ease that burden and help restore dignity and hope to cancer survivors,’ she said.
The expert team will include visiting international surgeons from Italy: Dr. Andrea Lissa and Dr. Alessandra Margherita, alongside Kenya’s leading breast surgeons Dr. Karen Mbaabu, Dr. Billel Mohammed, and Dr. Moki Mwendwa, among others. Patients coming for the camp must undergo mandatory screening to qualify for surgery. The screening is already underway at JOOTRH.
The camp comes at a critical time, as cancer continues to claim thousands of lives in Kenya each year. According to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the country records approximately 44,726 new cancer cases annually, with a five-year prevalence of more than 102,000 patients. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, accounting for roughly 16 percent of all new cases. Cancer mortality also remains high, with Kenya ranked fourth in Africa with an estimated 1
44 deaths per 100,000 people annually. Late diagnosis, limited treatment facilities, and high costs of specialized care continue to hinder efforts to curb the disease.
Though soft tissue sarcomas are relatively rare, they often require complex surgeries performed by highly trained specialists, a service that the JOOTRH camp will make more accessible to patients across Western Kenya and beyond. JOOTRH Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joshua Clinton Okise lauded the initiative as a milestone in decentralizing specialized oncology services. ‘The hospital is steadily positioning itself as a regional centre of excellence in cancer care. Through partnerships like this, we can reach more patients, build local capacity, and reduce referrals,’ he said.
Patients seeking to benefit from the camp have been encouraged to report to JOOTRH’s surgical department for assessment and screening ahead of the November event.