A 23-year-old woman from Embu has been left devastated following the death of her baby girl four days ago as a result of alleged medical negligence at Embu Level Five Hospital.
Claire Nyambura blames the hospital for the death of her infant who was born preterm on Saturday, December 16, for failing to attend to her during labor.
She alleged that she was subjected to induced labor despite diagnosis by the hospital showing that the baby was in breech (feet positioned to come out before the head) and thus it was not to be a normal birth.
The mother of one claimed she gave birth on her own while pleading with the nurse attending her for assistance in vain as he took his time to wear his gown, gloves and prepare delivery instruments.
“I labored for almost one hour when the amniotic fluid broke and the baby came out leaving the head behind, I cried to the nurse to come to my aid but my pleas fell on deaf ears,” she said amid sobs.
She continued, “nikamwambia mtoto anakufa, nikajaribu kujisaidia lakini akanambia hiyo siyo kazi yako, achana na yeye” but later after about five minutes assisted me.”
She said the baby’s head got stuck for about four minutes and upon delivery, she did not cry and when she enquired from the nurse, she was told there was nothing strange about that.
The mother said that after a few minutes, she started turning blue and when she enquired she was told they baby did not have enough supply of oxygen to the brain but they were going to put her under oxygen.
She said the baby was later taken to the new born unit for intensive medical care where she passed on the following morning.
“They told me they did everything to save her life and when I asked what happened I was told even if she could have survived, she could have had lifelong complications such as cerebral palsy,” she said.
According to her, the baby could have survived despite being born preterm at 32 weeks as she had attained the minimum required weight and gestation period.
She continued, “the painful thing is that he was standing right there as I struggled to give birth on my own.”
The nightmare did not end there for Nyambura as the hospital declined to discharge her and release the body of the infant for burial as her file mysteriously disappeared.
She said the file was recovered later in the evening, but they could not trace the doctor to write her discharge summary and added she was also told that her NHIF cover also had remittance issues.
“I told them I was ready to settle the bill in cash but they said the cashier had left and I was forced to spend another night in the hospital awaiting clearance and discharge of the body,” she said.
County Secretary Amy Ruria promised that they will launch investigations into the claims and that action will taken against anybody who will be found culpable.
