Body of former JOOTRH CEO Dr. George Rae to arrive in Kenya on Wednesday

The body of former Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) CEO Dr. George Rae is set to arrive in Kenya on Wednesday, January 7, following the clearance of the medical bill accrued in South Korea.

Dr. Rae, who until his demise was serving as health advisor to Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o, is reported to have fallen ill while on a work-related tour and later died in South Korea on December 26, 2025, while undergoing treatment.

According to a family statement issued on Tuesday, Dr. Rae's body will arrive at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi from Seoul, Republic of Korea via Emirates Flight EK 719 at 2pm.

The body will be received by family members, representatives of the Kisumu County government, professional colleagues, friends and well-wishers. 

Thereafter, the body will be transferred to Montezuma Funeral Home, Mbagathi, for preservation as burial arrangements are concluded. 

"Further updates will be communicated in due course. We thank you for the continued support and prayers," the statement read in part. 

Dr. Rae's body had been held in South Korea over unpaid medical bills amounting to Ksh.20 million. The hospital bill was, however, revised to approximately Ksh.5.2 million following the intervention of the Kenya Medical Association (KMA). 

The Kisumu County government settled the remaining bill to secure Rae's repatriation. 

During his tenure at JOOTRH, Dr. Rae is credited with instituting reforms that elevated the hospital to a national referral facility. 

He also played a key role in facilitating the availability of bone marrow transplant services and providing life-saving equipment to wards at the facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.