Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o on Tuesday announced that his administration will work with partners to renovate and upgrade the oncology unit at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
According to Nyong'o, the expansion will be part of a Sh1 billion plan that was unveiled in May this year after rising cases of cancer in the country.
Speaking on Tuesday during the ground breaking ceremony, Nyong'o noted that the county government was working with various partners to ensure the project was a success.
“A cancer center is not a very large facility. We are working with various partners to expand and equip the existing unit,” Nyong'o said as quoted by Standard.
He further noted that several US-based firms have moved in and expressed their support for the project.
Last week, the Henry Jackson Foundation Medical Research International (HJFMRI) which is a research company based in the US, pledged financial support towards the project.
The original plan to construct a mega cancer facility that would serve up to 13 counties failed, after the county government fell out with Kisumu Kenya Medical Training College over the ownership of the proposed site.
If completed, the oncology unit is expected to majorly serve cancer patients across Western Kenya and other parts of the country.