Heart defect curtails baby’s life

By LONAH KIBET

Serious complications that arose after the birth of her fourth baby came as a shock to Eileen Mogotu since she had carried her son to full term without any problem.

“He was a healthy baby from the beginning. I never had pregnancy complications,” Mogotu said.

Mogotu gave birth to her baby boy on February 19, through caesarian at a hospital along Ngong Road, Nairobi. Her baby weighed 3.5kgs. He appeared normal. Mogutu named him Emmanuel Moranga.

A day after the child was born, doctors noticed his skin was yellowing, a condition identified as neonatal jaundice. Due to financial constraints, she could not afford to be in Coptic hospital for long. Mogutu transferred to Mbagathi hospital where her baby was put in nursery for observation.

It was in the nursery that doctors noticed the baby’s stomach swelling and an abnormal heartbeat. She was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital where after an echocardiogram (test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart), doctors diagnosed the child with complete atrioventricular septal defect and down syndrome. “This was a big blow to us. We were told that the upper and lower chamber of his heart were not connected. His heart has two holes as well.  To make the situation worse, I was also told that the damage could not be repaired locally,” she said, adding that she was informed the surgery would cost Sh800,000.

Mogutu and her family have not been able to raise the money.

“It has been more than three months. The money we collected has not exceeded Sh2,000. This is from well-wishers on the streets in Eastleigh. Most people do not believe me because of fraud schemes rampant on the streets,” she said appealing for help.  Doctors told her the baby’s blood will clot if the condition is not corrected within six months.

“Sometimes am forced to breastfeed him using a bottle because he tires trying to suckle,” she lamented.

Atrioventricular septal defect is a rare heart defect. It is also referred to as atrioventricular canal defect. The abnormally accounts for about five per cent of all congenital heart disease in infants.