Naivasha hospital in a spot as baby dies under unclear circumstances
Naivasha Sub-County Hospital is facing backlash once again as an eight-month-old baby girl has died under unclear circumstances, leading to protests by local residents. The hospital’s services were disrupted for over three hours as angry relatives and members of the public clashed with the hospital management in response to the tragic incident.
The situation escalated to the point where anti-riot police were called in to restore control, exacerbating the chaos and resulting in several journalists being assaulted and injured amid the backdrop of screams and wails within the busy facility.
The unfortunate incident unfolded when the baby, who was brought in with breathing difficulties, passed away during a staff shift changeover, prompting family members to accuse the hospital of negligence.
This recent occurrence follows the death of a 40-year-old man at the same facility a month ago, which sparked a heated confrontation between his family and the hospital staff.
Additionally, last year, the County Assembly Committee on Health was informed of a distressing situation wherein more than ten newborn babies lost their lives within a single month due to malfunctions in the maternity wing’s incubators.
In this latest incident, the baby’s mother brought her in due to breathing complications, but tragically, she passed away a few hours later.
According to Sam Maina, the baby’s uncle, medical staff initially provided oxygen support, which seemed to stabilize the infant’s condition. The mother even breastfed her. However, trouble arose when the shift changed, and the oxygen supply was allegedly disconnected. Consequently, the baby experienced breathing difficulties once again.
We attempted to alert the medical staff to attend to the baby, but they informed us that their shift had ended, and regrettably, the baby passed away, Maina explained.
The devastated mother, Beth Njoroge, held the medical personnel responsible for her baby’s tragic death, asserting that they disregarded her pleas when her child experienced breathing complications.
I repeatedly informed them that my baby was having difficulty breathing, yet they ignored me, leading to her untimely demise, she tearfully shared.
Dr. Bernard Warui, the Superintendent in charge, appealed for patience while disclosing that investigations into the incident are already underway.
We are currently unaware of the cause of death, but we have launched an investigation to ascertain what transpired from the moment the child was brought in, Dr. Warui stated over the phone.
The hospital’s latest unfortunate incident has only intensified the concerns surrounding the quality of care provided by Naivasha Sub-County Hospital. With the public demanding answers and accountability, the investigation’s findings will likely be paramount in determining the way forward for the embattled medical facility.
Efforts to reach hospital management for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication. As the story continues to develop, the affected families, as well as the public, eagerly await further updates on the investigation and hope for measures that will prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The heart-wrenching loss of this innocent child has shed light on ongoing issues within Naivasha Sub-County Hospital, necessitating urgent attention and resolution to prevent further avoidable loss of life.
