Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu yesterday called for investigations into the death of 60 children at the county’s Level 5 Hospital.
The governor called on the Health ministry to establish the cause and make recommendations. The children’s death caused a public uproar.
Had something gone terribly wrong? Waititu said yes but dismissed claims of negligence.
“I’ve visited the newborns unit. I can say there are challenges. Half of the patients are from other counties. There is an influx in the maternity wing for pre-term babies,” he said.
Waititu warned against politicising the issue or condemning nurses.
The newborns unit has a capacity of 40 but host more than 60. Infants share baby cots and incubators are not enough.
The governor said the deaths were well documented and can be justified.
“The hospital delivered over 2,000 babies. It’s unfortunate because most cases are referrals. Private hospitals that are unable to deliver babies send their patients to Kiambu Hospital late. Others [mothers] did not attend any clinic until the last minute. There was little that doctors could do,” he said.
He said the medics attend to a huge number of patients.
“The doctors and nurses are working hard to serve all patients, who are many because nurses in neighbouring counties are on strike.”
The county chief urged the national government to elevate the hospital so it can get more resources for it to cope with the huge demand for services.
National Assembly Health committee chairperson Sabina Chege said the newborns unit is overstretched.
“The health personnel in Kiambu is working really hard and almost half of the babies are referrals. The newborns unit is so much congested and it does not have enough baby cots. They’re using the butterfly method of providing oxygen and have no meters as the unit has a small space,” she said.
Chege said most child deaths are from abortions.
“Women come to see gynaecologists and come bleeding. When they give birth, they [infants] are less than 500 grammes. Some of those cases are too fragile to be saved,” she said.
The lawmaker wants the unit expanded and properly equipped.
“We need to go back to primary healthcare so that community health workers can go to the grassroots and educate pregnant mothers. This will prevent infant deaths. The statistics here are true, infants have died.”
Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba urged the county government to revive maternity wings in health dispensaries to tackle congestion at the hospital.
“The county government received Sh300 million unconditional grant for Kiambu Hospital. It’s supposed to be used prudently and be injected into the maternity wing.
“Most health dispensaries closed their maternity wings, hence everyone coming to the main hospital,” she said.
Wamuchomba called for free counselling to women who have lost their babies. She was among the leaders who visited the facility.