Deceased ex-Kenyan PM had Kerala ties; Ayurveda restored his daughter’s vision, Modi praised it | VIDEO

While the world mourns former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who passed away in Kochi due to cardiac arrest, attention has turned to the deep ties his family had with Kerala’s traditional healthcare. The Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic facility, where he collapsed, had previously restored his daughter’s eyesight, making the state a significant part of their family journey.

How Rosemary Odinga found hope in Kerala

Raila Odinga’s daughter, Rosemary Odinga, had suffered vision loss since 2017 following a brain aneurysm that damaged her optic nerve, leaving her with severe optic nerve atrophy. International medical efforts, including in China, did not offer lasting results.

Her father eventually sought India’s Ayurveda system. Rosemary received treatment at the Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital and Research Centre in Koothattukulam, Ernakulam district, Kerala. Under the care of Dr N Narayanan Namboothiri, therapies including oral medications, eye massages, and taila dhara were used to strengthen her optic nerve, ultimately restoring her vision.

Global attention to Kerala’s traditional medicine

Rosemary’s recovery gained worldwide recognition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared her story during the Global AYUSH Innovations and Investment Summit in 2022. He recalled Raila Odinga’s emotional recounting of his daughter’s “golden moments” and highlighted her experience as evidence of the growing acceptance and effectiveness of India’s traditional medical systems.The video of the speech was shared on Modi’s YouTube channel.