Letangule's wife died due to neglect

A Nairobi-based hospital has been found guilty of medical negligence leading to the death of the wife of a senior officer at the electoral agency.

Family Care Medical Centre and Maternity Home has consequently been ordered to enter into a mediation with the family of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Commissioner Thomas Letangule on how to pay for the death of his wife Esther Kagwiria mid last year.

The orders were issued by a professional conduct committee appointed by the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board to inquire into Mrs Letangule’s death in April 2013.

The hospital will report the progress of the mediation to the board within 90 days.

The committee also found the hospital’s medical officer, Dr Erick Sagwa, liable for Mrs Letangule’s death by failing to review the patient’s condition.

It ordered that he be placed on full-time attachment at Mbagathi District Hospital under direct supervision of a senior Dr Loise Mutai from July 1, this year and a monthly report submitted to the board.

The committee, chaired by Dr Timothy Kingondu, however, dismissed similar charges against a consultant, Prof Joseph Karanja, saying they had no merit.

Mrs Letangule died on April 10, 2013, at the hospital where she had gone to deliver her third child.

She had been diagnosed as having high blood pressure. She reported to the hospital at 8am but died at 5pm after delivering the baby.

She was attended to by three doctors at one point or another, when her condition worsened.

One of the doctors, Norris Onzere based in Machakos, was only visiting the hospital on private business when he was requested by Dr Sagwa to examine the patient who was bleeding profusely.

The deceased was later seen by Dr Sagwa and Dr Karanja before she died as the hospital was preparing to transfer her to another facility.

Dr Sagawa said the nurse did not inform him other doctors on call were not available to see the patient or that she was in critical condition.

Prof Karanja and Dr Sagwa were charged before the committee with failing to take steps to properly manage the patient, leading to her death. The Letangule family was represented at the proceedings by lawyer Esther Muigai.

Ms Muigai said the hospital lacked mechanism for taking care of critical patients.

But the hospital maintained the case was of high risk.