The recent death of Kenyan celebrity influencer Tabitha Gatwiri has sent shock waves across the country’s content creation industry.
Gatwiri’s passing was announced on October 31, 2024.
Initial reports indicated that she died after a short illness.
Her body was taken to the Kenyatta University Hospital (KU) morgue where an autopsy was conducted.
The autopsy report indicated that Gatwiri’s cause of death was positional asphyxiation, which is also referred to as suffocation.
“The late Gatwiri passed on from positional asphyxia with brain edema,” the statement read.
Edema or swelling is when the brain is starved of oxygen and fluids build up within the brain tissues leading to the swelling. This can quickly lead to brain damage or in severe cases death.
Definition
Positional asphyxiation may not be familiarto many.
Dr Waweru Munyu, a Pulmonologist, defines it as a "situation where a person is not able to move air from the environment into the lungs as a consequence of the position in which the body is".
How it occurs
Dr Waweru explains that certain factors cause positional asphyxiation.
They include extending the neck or flexing the neck excessively, and applying pressure on the neck, chest or abdomen, thus preventing movement of the diaphragm and heightening the risk of suffocation.
Dr Waweru adds that drug substances and accidents are among the major causes of positional asphyxiation.
"Road accidents can also result in positional asphyxia whereby the motor vehicle rolls and the person is compressed by the structures of the motor vehicle around the chest area resulting in their inability to move properly," Dr Waweru said.
“It may also occur in people whose level of consciousness is reduced for example after using alcohol or drugs that make the person go into comma. The person may then end up in a particular position where they are not able to move air in and out properly and therefore, they may asphyxiate or die from suffocation.”
Prevention
Dr Waweru underscores the importance of being vigilant to avoid accidents and overindulgence in drugs and substances.
“If you notice a person is in a situation where they are not able to move themselves or is unconscious after consuming drugs or after an accident, maintaining an open airway is key. Position the neck well for free flow of air and remove any debris on the chest or the abdomen. That can help prevent positional asphyxiation.”
