•It is alleged that the woman was forced to deliver on the corridors after being denied access to the maternity ward by the watchman
•She however acknowledged that despite the patient and baby’s prior condition the mother could have been handled better
Image: FILE
Nairobi county government has finally broken their silence on yet another alleged case of medical negligence at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital.
This is after a public uproar when a woman was captured in a video giving birth on the hospital corridors at the facility on Saturday.
It is alleged that the woman was forced to deliver in the corridors after being denied access to the maternity ward by the watchman.
The Nairobi Health County Executive Committee Member Anastasia Nyalita in a statement on Monday acknowledged that the incident indeed happened, terming it ‘disheartening and unfortunate’.
According to Nyalita, the 26-year-old patient who resides in Njiru arrived at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital on Saturday, April 15 at 5.20 pm in the company of her relatives.
“The expectant mother complained of lower abdominal pains radiating to the back with increased intensity. The patient also complained that she could not feel regular baby movements,” she said.
Nyalita said the doctor on call immediately recommended an ultrasound to validate the lack of a foetal heartbeat.
“The medical team and counsellors at the Mama Lucy Kibaki informed the patient and her relatives of the ultrasound results which revealed that the baby was already dead,” she said.
“The Ultrasound scan results came back revealing that the patient had experienced an IntraUterine Foetal Death (IUFD) at 38wks 5days.”
Nyalita said that at 7:20 pm the patient who was already in labor had a stillbirth, male infant with a birth weight of 2,600grams.
“The medical team showed the patient the baby and informed her that the baby had passed away two to three days before delivery and her visit to the hospital,” she said.
She however acknowledged that despite the patient and baby’s prior condition, the mother could have been handled better adding that while there have been improvements in the handling of patients and the level of customer service at the facility, a lot remains to be done.
In response, Governor Johnson Sakaja personally reached out to the patient and her family, offered his condolences and commiserated with them.
The hospital has been in the limelight in the recent past for the wrong reasons, with the Senate health committee currently investigating two alleged cases of medical negligence at the facility.
The Jackson Mandago-led team seeks to unravel the circumstances that led to the avoidable deaths of Maureen Anyango, a mother who died after bleeding profusely after delivering her twin babies at the hospital in September last year.
Also under investigation is the death of a man named Eddy, who died at the same facility from injuries sustained in a road accident.
The Senate is also undertaking an investigation into the conduct of the hospital management, with a view to recommending disciplinary measures against persons found culpable.