Inside the operating theatre at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), time seemed to move differently on a morning that began routinely but ended in celebration, fatigue, and relief.
For seven continuous hours, surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, and technicians worked in near silence, concentrating on one goal: removing a 4-kilogram tumour from a patient’s liver.
When the final stitch was placed, the threat to the patient’s life had been removed, leaving behind something stronger: hope.
The complex right hepatectomy, among the most challenging operations in hepatobiliary surgery, stood out during the three-day Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Surgical Camp held at KNH from June 10–12, 2026.
The procedure represented a turning point for both the patient and Kenya’s expanding ability to provide advanced surgical care.
An attending specialist said the case tested every level of surgical skill and coordination.
They noted that, from planning through execution, there was no room for error and that every decision carried weight.
The surgery was led by HPB specialist Prof. Soriman, with KNH and University of Nairobi surgeons Dr K. Ondede, Director of Surgical Services, Dr Muia, Dr Kaisha, and Dr Nthambi, supported by invited experts Dr Karan and Dr Misoi.
Beyond the team around the table, KNH said a wider network of expertise helped make the operation possible.
The anaesthesia teamDr Simiyu, Dr Kasuku, Dr Muchiri, Mr Kwame, and residents Dr Atieno and Dr Mondamonitored the patient closely as stability remained delicate. In theatre, every signal, reading, and movement mattered.
The nursing team, led by B. Khandega and supported by C. Tuwei, M. Wambui, S. Njeru, D. Kemuma, P. Nyaga, J. Kinyanjui, and Moraa, kept the operation running smoothly through precise coordination.
Technical support staff C. Muthengi and W. Owelle ensured critical systems continued functioning without interruption.
By the close of the camp, KNH had carried out 13 highly specialized HPB procedures, including four liver resections, one Whipple’s procedure, two hepaticojejunostomies, and six laparoscopic cholecystectomies.
The demanding schedule reflected both the urgency of patient needs and the wider push to expand access to advanced surgical care across the country.
Led by Dr. Gibson Musila, Head of the Department of General Surgery at KNH, the camp was designed as both a treatment effort and a training platform.
Visiting surgeons from the University of Science and Technology Hospital in Egypt worked alongside Kenyan teams, exchanging techniques and strengthening local expertise in liver, pancreatic, and biliary surgery.
For many young clinicians present, the experience was as life-changing as the operations themselves.
It offered a rare chance to observe, in real time, the coordination needed to manage some of the most complex procedures in modern medicine.
After the marathon operation, the importance of what had happened reached beyond the operating theatre.
It showed what can be achieved when skill, teamwork, and preparation come together, and when a hospital expands the limits of what can be done locally.