The Senate Health committee has recommended that the security firm at Pumwani Maternity Hospital step aside following an incident where a woman gave birth outside the facility after a security guard denied her access.
This comes as a blame game between Nairobi Metropolitan service and City Hall emerged.
“This is not the first time that security guards are seen harassing people and that is why want NMS to carry out this audit of all security firms,” Senator Samson Cherargei said on Monday.
According to the Health committee led by chairman Senator Michael Mbito, the hospital blamed the private security firm called “Hatari “ for denying the mother access to the hospital.
It was revealed that the firm had been contracted by the County Government of Nairobi and according to Pumwani’s administration, the firms’s contract has not yet been handed over to NMS.
“After engaging with the hospital’s administration it is unfortunate to hear that the blame game between NMS and Nairobi County still play a role in such a heartbreaking incident,” Senator Millicent Omanga said.
“With the blame games emerging, who is the firm answerable to since the contract has not been handed over to NMS?” she questioned.
The committee also directed that the Nairobi Metropolitan Service audits all security firms attached to county hospitals.
Senator Samson Cherargai recommended that either National Youth Services (NYS) or police should take over security affairs in the hospital pending investigations.
“The security personnel involved should be suspended until investigations are done and if found culpable, they be prosecuted as well,” he said.
Mbito said the mother and the watchman involved will be called to appear before the committee within the seven days of investigations.
He also said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, EACC and DPP are looking into the matter.
NMS Director of Health Service Ouma Oluga apologised on behalf of the hospital for the incident.