By Mandere Onyinkwa
Pap Onditi Sub-County Hospital in Nyakach has significantly reduced maternal referrals since expanding its maternity and theatre services, with Caesarean sections rising to an average of 25 every month.
Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o said the development was part of the county administration’s efforts to bring essential health services closer to residents through investment in infrastructure, human resources and specialised care.
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The maternity and theatre complex was opened in 2024, creating capacity for specialised maternal and surgical services at the hospital.
“The story of Pap Onditi Sub-County Hospital is one good example of what we have achieved,” Nyong’o said.
The hospital’s first operation after the facility became operational was a Caesarean section. It has since grown into a Level 4 hospital performing an average of 25 Caesarean sections every month.
In 2025, the hospital performed 268 Caesarean sections, while 246 had already been carried out by September 2026.
The facility also performs an average of 10 other major surgical procedures every month, including general surgical and gynaecological operations.
Nyong’o said the figures represented more than hospital statistics, noting that they reflected patients who can now access specialised treatment closer to home instead of travelling to Kisumu City.
“These numbers matter because behind every procedure is a mother, a child or a patient who no longer has to travel to Kisumu City to access essential care,” he said.
The expansion has also coincided with a sharp decline in maternal referrals from the hospital.
Before the maternity and theatre complex became operational, Pap Onditi referred an average of 20 maternal cases every month. The number has since fallen to about five per month.
According to Nyong’o, maternal referrals dropped from 113 in 2024 to 46 in 2025 and stood at 29 by September 2026.
The hospital now operates specialist clinics supported by a specialist gynaecologist and specialist general surgeon. Four medical officers trained by the Kisumu County Government also support services at the facility.
The hospital has additionally been equipped with solar power, a move aimed at improving the reliability and continuity of medical services.
Nyong’o said the county’s investment should ultimately be judged by its impact on residents rather than the physical infrastructure alone.
“Ultimately, the value of these investments is not measured only in buildings, equipment or statistics. It is measured in the lives they touch,” he said.
He cited safe deliveries, successful operations and patients receiving treatment closer to their homes as the real measure of the investment.
The governor said improving access to healthcare remained one of the administration’s central promises to the people of Kisumu.
“This is what we promised the people of Kisumu: to bring essential health services closer to them and to turn public resources into better, healthier lives,” he said.
He described the expansion of services at Pap Onditi as part of the legacy the county administration is building in Kisumu.
