I helped stranded woman give birth, not Pumwani - lady says

A lady has dismissed claims by Nairobi Metropolitan Services that a nurse from Pumwani Maternity helped a woman in labour who was stranded at its gates.

Christine Gakii said that doctors from the hospital only came to the woman’s rescue after Gakii had helped the lady deliver a baby girl.

“The lady had come with her husband but was turned away by the guards at the gate. She fell down on the tarmac because of labour pains and that is when I stepped in as the husband rushed to seek medical help from the opposite hospital,” Gakii said.

Gakii added that she sourced for a scalpel to cut the umbilical cord and wrapped the newborn in a shawl after which the baby and her mother were admitted into the hospital.

"She was crying out to me to help her give birth whether or not I'm a medical professional. I just asked her to push and that is when the baby came out," she said. 

There was a furor on social networks on Saturday after a video emerged of a lady helplessly undergoing labour on the tarmac in front of Pumwani Maternity Hospital after she was barred from accessing the facility due to a nurses' strike. 

The incident happened a week ago and the patient in question was allegedly discharged yesterday. 

A statement issued by NMS Director, Health Services, Josephine Kibaru-Mbae, seemed to shift the blame to security guards on duty for the unfortunate incidents. 

"The security guard denied the patient access to the premises in a very unfortunate incident before a nurse from the maternity ward was notified of the occurrence and rushed to the scene to assist in the delivery and admission to the maternity ward," Kibaru-Mbae said. 

However, during a protest by a group of women politicians at the facility, the hospital management was hard-pressed to explain the detailed account of the incident or even produce the nurse in question. 

 Homa Bay Women Rep Gladys Wanga dismissed NMS's statement that the security guards were solely responsible for the debacle.

"You cannot tell us that the security guards were acting out of their own volition. They must have been receiving instructions from someone and that is the one who should take responsibility," Wanga said. 

Nyeri Deputy Governor Caroline Karugu reiterated that all women deserve equal rights regardless of their socio-economic class. 

"The whole country can see the importance of a leadership that is united. When there are go-slows in the Senate, it is mwananchi that suffers the most," she said. 

Also present at the protest were Kiambu Women Rep Gathoni wa Muchomba, Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda, Kisumu Women rep Rozaah Buyu and Nominated senator Inimah Getrude Musuruve.

The legislators appealed for an urgent reshuffle of Pumwani Maternity administration and an upgrade of the facility to a national referral status.