• The woman had been left at the gate of the health centre by a boda boda rider.
• The baby boy was the woman’s third born.
A Makueni woman on Tuesday delivered at the gate of Kitise health centre in Kathonzweni sub-county because the facility was closed.
Peter Muteti found the middle-aged woman outside the gate at 6am. He rushed to Kitise market and asked another woman to assist the expectant mother.
“I was escorting my children to school when I found her screaming in pain. I left them and rushed to Kitise market to call another woman who assisted her to get the baby,” he said.
The woman had been dropped at the health centre at 1am by a boda boda rider.
Patrick Mutua, a night guard at the health centre said he noticed the woman at around 5am but he didn’t have gate keys.
“There is quite a distance from the building to the gate, but when I noticed her I called the nurse. She had already delivered by the time the officer arrived,” he told the Star.
The baby boy was the woman’s third born, according to her health documents.
The mother was received at the facility for the observance.
A newborn died at the facility two weeks ago in what was said to be negligence by the health officer on duty.
The officer has since been interdicted.
Residents said the facility has been operating from 8am to 5pm since the incident occurred. They have demanded that the facility operate 24 hours a day.
“We have people coming from as far as Kitui County to get health services here. The facility should be operational day and night so that we don’t lose lives,” Kioko Mutisya said.
He said the area is infested with snakes and snakebite patients can die as they wait for the facility to open.
(Edited by O. Owino)