Hospital officials to face action for woman’s death

Mother to the late patient with a neighbour

By RENSON MNYAMWEZI

Taita-Taveta, Kenya: Taita-Taveta County government has initiated disciplinary action against health officials following the death of an expectant woman at a local public hospital.

This comes after the technical team appointed by the Governor John Mruttu recommended that action be taken against authorities of Wesu District Hospital.

County executive member in charge of health services Gifton Mkaya said they had written letters to two senior medical officials to show cause why they should not be disciplined.

“We have initiated the disciplinary process against two doctors but the process will have to follow the Civil Service code of regulations,” he said.

“We are through with our investigations and the technical report is ready for the necessary action,” said Mr Mkaya at his office yesterday.

The CEC member, however, said there were two dimensions in technical report showing lapses in how the medical officials and parents of the deceased handled the matter.

“There was breach in medical procedures because doctors are supposed to stay in hospital for 24 hours, which was not the case,” he said.

According to the report, Jostinah Kilolo, 24, started attending antenatal clinic very late and the mode of transport to the hospital was wrong. “The mode of transport was a motorbike which is wrong,” said the report.

The report said the deceased refused to go for a scan on the basis that three abdominal examinations had already be done.

“The deceased saw no need to spend money on examinations. She missed some additional antenatal visits, which would have been very useful to her, stated the report.

“The deceased was not aware of the danger signs, or if she was, she did not take it seriously. It is possible the membranes ruptured much earlier as stated. There was no individual birth plan,” said the report.

Mr Mkaya said the lives of the deceased and her unborn baby would have been saved if elective caesarian section was done before the patient went into labour.

“The recommended method of delivery in the presentation is caesarian section. Antenatal visits are key to ensuring proper planning of individual birth plans,” said the CEC member.

Mr Mruttu established the task force to investigate the circumstances in which Justina Kililo died in hospital following public outcry after The Standard highlighted the incident on Monday.

The incident also drew angry reactions from local residents, leaders and the social media. Among those who condemned the incident were MPs Joyce Wanjala Lay, Thomas Mwadeghu and Werugha ward representative Jason Tuja.

“The task force will get to the bottom of this incident. If the mistake was done then we will take action,” said the governor in an earlier statement.

Mkaya’s report said the death of the baby was as a result of asphyxia due while that of mother was due to uncontrollable post-partum haemorrhage.

The deceased’s mother, Agnes Kililo, who accompanied her to the hospital, claimed her daughter had complained that the health authorities took long to attend to her.