The Ministry of Health has come to the defense of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital over alleged negligence after a mother lost her life during childbirth at the facility in April.
In her submission to the National Assembly, Health CS Susan Nakhumicha said the death of Loice Njoki Kariuki was not preventable given its sudden and unexpected onset.
Kariuki died on April 3 at MTRH while giving birth, and the family accuses the facility of negligence.
Nakhumicha said the care given to Kariuki conformed to the standard of care but noted that Kenya Medical Practitioners’ and Dentists Council would conduct further investigations into the matter.
“KMPDC, which is mandated to investigate medical negligence and malpractice, has directed the CEO MTRH to forward the file to enable the council conduct further inquiry into the matter,” Nakhumicha said.
“The report of KMPDC shall inform the ministry if there was any negligence and recommend the necessary action,” the CS added.
The process, which is estimated to take approximately 90 days, requires that the complainant fills the council’s complaint form
They will then be required to submit a comprehensive statement stating the chronology/history of the events leading to the matter complained about accompanied with any relevant documents in support of the allegations.
The documents which include medical reports, discharge summaries, patient card, laboratory/x-rays/ scans, and reports are to aid in the investigation process.
The council will then task the hospital or the practitioner to respond to the complaint or the allegations and determination of merits is then undertaken.
But Nakhumicha said the care given to the patient was of the highest quality as attested to by the involvement of highly experienced specialists during the surgery and resuscitation.
In a document tabled before Parliament, the CS said Kariuki was admitted to MTRH at 12.45pm on April 3, 2023 for the first time and passed on eight hours later at 9.10 pm same day.
The CS said the woman, who was admitted at 40 weeks’ gestation, had one previous scar in labour hence the decision for CS was made due to the previous cesarean scar and a big baby in the current pregnancy.
At caesarian section, a live female infant was delivered with a birth weight of 4.3kg.
“She however noted that as the surgery continued, there was a sudden drop in blood pressure and oxygen saturation,” Nakhumicha said.
“Resuscitation by a multidisciplinary team commenced immediately and continued for 1 hour 20 minutes. This was unsuccessful and the patient was certified dead at 9.10pm,” the CS noted.
According to the CS, the deceased was attended to by a team of specialists who included a consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist, consultant anaesthesiologist, maternal-fetal medicine sub-specialist, anaesthetists and a nursing team.
She further told the MPs that the operating room that was used to attend to the patient is a state-of-the-art theatre with specialised equipment and resuscitation drugs.
The CS further noted that following the death, the family was provided with support including a family conference and counseling services.
Further, a maternal mortality audit was conducted, as is the practice, to determine the cause of death and its prevention.
Additionally, a clinical postmortem was conducted in the presence of a family representative, a family pathologist and hospital pathologist.
“The conclusion of the postmortem and histology of tissues was that the patient died from cardiac arrest (cardiogenic shock) secondary to amniotic fluid embolism,” she said.
This, she said, is a very uncommon childbirth emergency in which amniotic fluid enters the bloodstream of the mother, triggering a serious reaction which results in cardiorespiratory collapse.