Eldoret DJ hospitalised after 50-hour no-sleep record attempt, days after surgery

Popular Rift Valley entertainer Janet Jerop, famously known as DJ Hot Jantex, has been hospitalised following a gruelling 50-hour sleep-deprivation challenge.

The livestreamed stunt was intended to spotlight mental health awareness and the systemic failures surrounding her recent medical crisis.

Medical professionals have since expressed deep concern over the challenge, stressing that prolonged sleep deprivation poses serious health risks, particularly for an individual still recovering from major surgery.

The entertainer's drastic decision followed a near-catastrophic health and financial collapse that destroyed her income and security, exposing the fragile reality many independent creatives and gig workers face in Kenya.

Jerop’s ordeal began after severe complications required complex surgery on her leg.

She was initially admitted to MP Shah Hospital in Nairobi, where specialised care quickly generated staggering bills.

Left unable to perform, she spent more than a month bedridden while medical invoices soared past Sh1 million.

Threatened with detention over the unpaid fees, Jerop turned to social media as a last resort, appealing to prominent philanthropists and political figures.

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang ultimately intervened, clearing her accumulated medical bills of Sh1.2 million.

Upon returning to Eldoret, Jerop channelled her trauma into advocacy, drawing support from local artists and online personalities, including Koech Manasseh.

Netizens reacted with mixed feelings to the gruelling stunt.

While some offered encouragement, others questioned the impact on her recovery.

"All the best Jeropy," posted Mercy Kipsat.

Expressing concern for her well-being, another user going by the moniker Kichwa Kibovu noted that 50 hours without sleeping is like she wants to go back to the hospital, adding that for better health, one needs some sleep too.