A 23-year-old woman has accused a private chemist of selling her an abortion drug, causing the death of her unborn baby in Kiambu county.
Rachael Nzilani said that Unified Pharmaceuticals, based at Githurai 45 estate on December 21 evening dispensed five tablets of Susten 200mg to her.
She lost her foetus after she took one of the tablets on December 22. The drugs cost Sh500, each was Sh100.
“I bought and took the drug with the prescription of a health officer from Kiambu Level 5 Hospital where I had sought medication for bleeding on December 20,” Nzilani said.
Unified Pharmaceuticals admitted selling the drug to the complainant.
“Yes, we sold the drug to her based on the prescription as per the documents she showed us from Kiambu Level 5 Hospital,” an attendant at the chemist, who declined to reveal his identity said.
Kiambu Level 5 Hospital’s medical Superintendent Jesse Ngugi said the Susten drug is meant for women whose pregnancies are at risk.
“The drug has a higher dose of progesterone that gives hope to pregnancies, it sustains and protects pregnancies,” Ngugi told the Star on the phone.
He said that the complainant should get to the facility carrying both the dispensed drugs and prescription documents from the doctor who attended to her for clarification.
Nzilani spoke to the Star at her house in Kimbo, Githurai 45 after making an official complaint to Githurai Kimbo police station on Sunday.
The matter reported at 4.11pm was recorded under OB 33/22/12/2019.
According to hospital documents seen by the Star, Nzilani suffered pelvic bleeding and abdominal pain for two hours before she sought medication at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital.
She paid Sh1,200 for a scan and received the prescription from a health official at the hospital.
“I profusely bled before the foetus came out immediately after taking the drug. I feel that there was a problem either at the hospital where I was diagnosed and prescription made or at the Chemist where the drug was dispensed,” Nzilani said.
She added, “I need justice for the lost life, my unborn baby.”
The chemist told Nzilani to go back to the doctor who prescribed the drug and confirm if it is what they prescribed.
He said they didn’t know what ailment was meant for the drug to cure.
“This is the right medicine. Take the drug to the doctor who prescribed it and tell him all these things you are telling us here. I sold the drug according to the prescription,” the attendant told Nzilani on Sunday.
