Machakos Governor Defends Machakos Level 5 Hospital, Warns Fake Reporters

Machakos Governor has come out to defend claims that were earlier reported that a new-born baby had disappeared at Machakos Level 5 Hospital.

Relatives of a woman who gave birth at the hospital claimed that they were unable to trace the baby after the woman delivered on Wednesday at 12 noon.

One of the woman’s brothers said nurses at the facility earlier informed his sister that her baby delivered through Cesarean Section died at birth.

“My sister demanded to be shown her baby’s corpse which the hospital’s management failed to provide,” said the brother.

“The hospital’s management instead started dodging the family. This morning we were told that the management would give us a report on the matter at 2.00 pm which they didn’t.”

Confirming the incident, Machakos County Director of Medical Services Dr Joel Mwova said the matter is under investigation.

Machakos governor broke silence on Friday morning to give an explicit explanation of what transpired at the hospital.

Dr Mutua said, “she was scheduled for emergency caesarean section due to poor progress and meconium staining grade 3.

“C/S was done under spinal anaesthesia (mother awake). Life male infant was extracted with a birth weight of 3.4 kg with severe birth asphyxia.

“Resuscitation commenced immediately. Mother was explained to that the condition of the baby was not good. Mother was also shown the baby before taking him to the Newborn unit for specialized management and incubation. Unfortunately, the baby succumbed while undergoing management.”

“Some of the relatives, all male, arrived but on being told that the Baby has passed away, insisted on seeing the medical file and were told that due to medical confidentiality and ethics, only the patient or her next of kin (her parents) could be allowed to access the files.”

“That is the procedure all over the world. One of the relatives, on being denied the file, started shouting and alerted the media and made wild allegations of a missing Baby, whereas the body of the Baby was still in the ward for all to see.”

“Later, the mother of the minor (patient) together with other relatives arrived and were shown the deceased Baby.

“The family later met with the management and were explained what had occurred and their family Spokesperson, Mr. Johnson Ndiso, confirmed that the family was satisfied with the way the hospital handled the matter.

“As per procedures, a hospital team is currently seated to review what caused the Baby’s death and to make recommendations.

“I have directed (and the patient has agreed) that DNA samples be taken of the deceased Baby and its Mother, to fully establish that the Baby is hers.”

However, the Machakos Governor warned reporters to strictly focus on the clarified and verified facts that he has given.

The incident comes a few days after a video went online exposing nurses at Shalom Hospital in Machakos, who neglected a woman in labour who was brought on a wheelchair.

The nurse Edna Nyarangi who neglected the woman was charged and later freed on bail of Kshs 50,000 on Tuesday and Thomas Ndolo, the hospital administrator was left in custody for three more days.

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