The Ministry of Health has confirmed the arrival of a team of surgeons from the Kingdom of Morocco into the country for a week-long medical mission to perform Cochlear Implant surgeries on more than 50 children with hearing impairments.

Confirming the development on Monday, November 3, 2025, MOH noted that the team will conduct the particular corrective procedure on the affected children at the Kenyatta National Hospital from Monday, November 3, to Friday, November 7, 2025, after the surgeons were received by Dr Joel Lessan, Senior Director for Clinical Services at KNH.

Team arrival

”The visiting specialists will work alongside local ENT experts from Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) between 3rd and 7th November 2025, in a collaborative effort to restore hearing and improve the quality of life for affected children,” the statement said in part.

Cochlear implant surgery is a specialised procedure for patients with severe to profound hearing loss. It involves the surgical implantation of an electronic device into the cochlea to stimulate the auditory nerve, enabling the perception of sound and communication development.

Recently, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale celebrated a landmark medical breakthrough at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), recognising surgeons who performed Kenya’s first facial reconstruction surgery on a child. On September 25, a multidisciplinary team from KNH and the University of Nairobi conducted a nine-hour surgery to reconstruct the face of seven-year-old Ian Baraka, who was disfigured during a bandit attack in 2023.

surgical milestone at KNH

“Kenyatta National Hospital has successfully conducted a nine-hour, first-of-its-kind reconstructive surgery to restore the face of a young boy disfigured during a bandit attack in 2023. The highly complex craniofacial procedure, performed on Thursday, September 25, 2025, by a multidisciplinary team of KNH and University of Nairobi (UON) specialists, marks a global surgical milestone.” KNH said in a statement dated September 26, 2025.

Meanwhile, in related corrective procedures confirmed by the Ministry of Health, the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has successfully performed its first pneumonectomy, the surgical removal of an entire lung, marking a major milestone for the facility’s new Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Unit.

According to the MOH’s report, the procedure was carried out on Pamela Achieng, a mother of eight suffering from a severe fungal infection known as aspergilloma.

”The surgery, led by Dr Juma Odoro and his team, was successful, and the patient has since been discharged. This achievement underscores JOOTRH’s growing capacity to offer complex, life-saving surgeries and supports Kenya’s efforts to expand access to specialised healthcare under Universal Health Coverage (UHC),” MOH said in a statement on Saturday, November 1, 2025.