Aga Khan Hospital Kisumu Hosts 2025 Kenya Paediatric Surgical Camp, Transforming Lives Across the Lake Region
Kisumu, September 29, 2025: Thirteen children from across the Lake Region received life-changing surgeries free of charge as Kisumu hosted the 2025 Kenya Association of Paediatric Surgeons (KAPS) Annual Children’s Surgical Camp at Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu, from September 29th to October 1st, 2025. This initiative was a collaborative effort between Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu, KAPS, and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital. The camp aims to eventually reach all 47 counties of Kenya. It had so far been held in Nakuru, Mombasa, Narok, and Garissa, making Kisumu the fifth county to host the initiative.
The 13 paediatric patients between the ages of 0 and 22 underwent various life-changing surgeries. Procedures performed included umbilicoplasty – which repairs or reshape the belly button often due to birth defects or hernias; right herniotomy – to correct groin hernias by returning tissue back in its proper place and sealing the muscle gap; and urethroplasty, – a surgery to repair the urinary passage in children experiencing difficulty passing urine due to blockages or abnormal development.
Beneficiaries were identified from across the Lake Region counties, including Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Busia. All surgical costs were fully covered by The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu (Welfare), KAPS, and the Social Health Authority (SHA), ensuring that children from disadvantaged backgrounds received specialised medical care at no cost.
While the immediate focus of the camp was on providing surgeries, its broader goal is to strengthen paediatric surgical care in Western Kenya and raise awareness of children’s surgical needs.
Medical experts note that thousands of children across the country suffered from untreated congenital and acquired conditions due to limited access to specialised care. Initiatives like this not only provided direct relief but also highlighted the importance of investing in paediatric healthcare infrastructure.
The Kisumu edition of the camp was hosted at Aga Khan Hospital Kisumu’s modern surgical theatre, known for its high standards of safety and quality. During the event, hospital leaders emphasised the significance of the initiative for the region. “This is more than just a surgical camp; it is an opportunity to give children a fresh start in life while demonstrating what can be achieved when healthcare institutions and professional associations collaborate,” said officials from Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu.
About The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu
The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu, was established in 1952 as a private, not-for-profit institution that provides primary, secondary, and tertiary-level healthcare services in Kenya. In 2019, the hospital was awarded SafeCare Level 5 Certification and is part of the AKDN Health System, which operates in eight countries and provides community health programmes covering over 200 health facilities, including 22 hospitals.
The recent expansion to a new ultra-modern building has transformed the previous 70-bed facility into a leading 123-bed secondary hospital, offering some tertiary care services that provide integrated healthcare for people in the Western region and the rest of Kenya. The hospital currently serves over 14 counties in the lake region bloc and even receives patients from Uganda and Tanzania. The hospital has become a hub of qualified doctors and nurses.
The AKDN Health System is one of the most comprehensive private not for profit health care systems in the developing world. In Kenya, the network operates three hospitals, one medical centre and over 70 outpatient centres. The Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu provides general medical services, specialist clinics and state of the art diagnostic services. It is also part of the Aga Khan Health Services International network, with links to the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi and the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi.
For more information, please contact:
Aga Khan Hospital, Kisumu
ksm.marketing@akhskenya.org
+254 722 203 622 / +255 733 637 800