Medical Assisted Therapy

MEDICALLY ASSISTED THERAPY (MAT)

The Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) Wellness Centre at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) provides specialized treatment, rehabilitation, psychosocial support, and reintegration services for individuals living with opioid dependency and substance use disorders.

The centre focuses on helping patients reduce or stop opioid use while improving their physical health, mental well-being, social functioning, and overall quality of life through structured and evidence-based care.

The MAT program is a Government of Kenya initiative under the Ministry of Health, integrated within JOOTRH . It remains the only specialized MAT service of its kind in the Western Kenya region, strengthening access to addiction treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services for patients across the region.

The programme was formerly implemented in partnership with the Center for International Health, Education and Biosecurity (CIHEB), which supported its early establishment and scale-up. The service is now fully institutionalized within JOOTRH and operates under the national health system.

The centre operates daily from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays, from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, ensuring continuity of care for clients enrolled in treatment programs. Services are delivered through a multidisciplinary team comprising nursing staff, pharmacists, pharmaceutical technologists, medical social workers, counsellors, and psychosocial support personnel working collaboratively to provide holistic, patient-centred care.

The primary goal of the MAT program is to reduce the health, psychological, and social effects associated with opioid dependency while supporting long-term recovery and community reintegration. The program also aims to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with illicit opioid use and overdose, minimize transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections, reduce drug-related crime, improve mental and physical stability, and create an enabling environment that supports treatment adherence and recovery.

The centre provides integrated services including methadone treatment, addiction counselling, psychosocial support, HIV testing and prevention services, tuberculosis screening and treatment, hepatitis B and C testing and vaccination, sexually transmitted infection screening and management, condom distribution, and mental health assessment and treatment. Through medication-assisted therapy, methadone is administered under medical supervision to help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms among individuals dependent on opioids, enabling gradual stabilization and recovery.

Beyond medication, the Wellness Centre emphasizes holistic rehabilitation through individual counselling, group therapy, family support sessions, peer support, and psychosocial interventions aimed at rebuilding self-esteem and restoring family and community relationships. Follow-up care and reintegration programs further support individuals transitioning back into society after recovery.
The centre also collaborates with community outreach initiatives and drop-in centres established in partnership with CIHEB to improve access to counselling, HIV prevention services, harm reduction interventions, and referral pathways for individuals affected by substance use disorders. These initiatives continue to help reduce stigma, encourage treatment uptake, and strengthen continuity of care within communities.

In addition to treatment and rehabilitation, the MAT Wellness Centre supports patient empowerment through peer education, talent development, and income-generating activities that encourage positive social engagement and long-term recovery. Through integrated medication-assisted therapy, counselling, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support, the MAT Wellness Centre at JOOTRH continues to serve as a centre of hope, recovery, and transformation for individuals affected by substance dependency across the region.