Police grill county official, Bungoma Doctor over death of a woman who was giving birth

Scholastica Odhiambo aged 33, who died on Thursday last week after undergoing a caesarean section in Bungoma town. [Photo/Nathan Ochunge/Standard]

Police have recorded a doctor’s statement concerning the death of a woman soon after giving birth through a cesarean section.

Officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) questioned Isaac Omeri, the owner of Khalaba Hospital in Bungoma town, over the death of Scholastica Odhiambo, 33.

Detectives also questioned a county official said to have been responsible for the pregnancy.

Odhiambo died last Thursday after undergoing a caesarian section at Khalaba Hospital.

The investigations were launched after Odhiambo’s family complained about some events surrounding her death.

Bungoma DCIO Joseph Nzioka said statements had been recorded and investigations begun. 

Kevin Omondi, 30, a brother to Odhiambo, said a friend phoned him about his sister’s deteriorating condition last Thursday at 2.40am.

Lying unconscious

He said he rushed to the hospital and found his sister lying unconscious on a bed, a baby on her side, but with no one attending to her.

Mr Omondi said he called a nurse who declined to attend to her.

“The owner of the hospital (Dr Omeri), who carried out the operation on my sister, came to the ward after 30 minutes and pronounced her dead,” said Omondi.

He added: “I tried to seek answers on who authorised the surgical operation and on what condition, but medics on duty ordered security guards to eject me from the facility.”

Seek answers

He said the management of the hospital did not give him the records of his late sister and the baby, adding that the nurse who refused to attend to Odhiambo told him the hospital bill had been cleared and that they should leave the hospital premises immediately.

Omeri said he first examined the woman and established she was fit to undergo the operation.