Do you remember the famous Pumwani Hosiptal Saga that involved the death of infants?
Well, just a few months after the Country seemingly moved on from the whole saga, a new one is unfolding and this time in Kiambu County under Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s watch.
It has now been revealed that a total of sixty infants have died at the Kiambu Level 5 Hospital since December last year.
The mothers of the newborn babies and their relatives have raised alarm, while the hospital defended its staff.
The hospital’s medical superintendent Jesse Ngugi yesterday said the infants died because they were either born before their time or because they developed respiratory complications.
He said the deaths did not result from negligence or equipment failure. He said 30 newborns died in December. Another 20 died last month. Ten infants have already died at the hospital in this month alone.
“The deaths can be explained because we do a mortality and morbidity audit for every death that happens in the newborn unit. That is to make sure we have continuous improvement in the quality of care we provide to patients,” Ngugi said.
He said all the hospitals’ incubators were working and the newborn unit was functional.
“Even our doctors and nurses have not been on strike,” he said.
Relatives of women who lost their babies have however said the hospital did not explain the deaths.
It remains to be seen how the County leadership will react to this unfolding saga.