Bishop’s faith renewed after brush with death

Bishop Timothy Wambunya at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi where he is recovering from Covid-19. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

For Timothy Wambunya, Psalms 23 has gained new and special meaning.

The bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya has been through the valley of the shadow of death after he contracted the coronavirus disease.

“I have been very fortunate to survive. It only takes a few seconds for someone to die. Do not take Covid-19 lightly because it is a rough, terrifying experience,” he warns.

Wambunya’s journey to the intensive care unit started when he landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with one of his three sons. “I arrived from the UK the day the government imposed the 14-day compulsory quarantine. There was confusion because nobody knew where to take us.”

The 55-year-old bishop recalls that amid the chaos at the airport, his temperature was high. He was worried about being in close contact with nearly 100 people when he was unsure about everybody’s status.

“We had no face masks. We were complaining and arguing a lot on our way to the quarantine centre, which could have led to spreading of the infection,” Wambunya says.

Developed fever

They were shuttled from the University of Nairobi to the Kenya School of Administration, then to the Kenya Medical Training Centre headquarters, where some people were admitted. Wambunya was in a group of 20 who were finally taken to CORAT Africa in Karen at about 5pm - more than 12 hours after they landed.

“All was going well until I developed a fever. I tried not to report it because I was scared of going to some of these facilities, but the people in the centre reported me to the managers,” he says.

It had taken about six days before tests were conducted at the centre, and when the results came back he was the only one who had Covid-19. “Never in my wildest imagination did I think I would be positive. In fact, I believed this only happened to other people.”

Wambunya’s fever persisted and he developed weakness in his limbs. Soon he was unable to sleep.

The bishop was put in an ambulance and driven to Kenyatta University Referral Hospital. On arrival, nobody wanted to attend to him. He says he felt like he was under arrest. It was also during this transfer that about £2,000 (Sh265,000) he had in his pocket was stolen.

“I was put in a room, the door was closed and tape put around it. I stayed there for two days without food, water or medical attention. I later called my wife and asked her to move me because my condition was worsening and I feared I was losing my mind.”

Wambunya says his wife, Gertrude, and his son moved him to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi where he was taken straight to the ICU. He would remain there for the following 17 days. “I would have died had it not been for the doctors’ determination,” he states, adding that his lungs, liver and kidneys had failed.

When he came out of ICU, he could not move his limbs and had to re-learn easy tasks like walking. Fluids had to be regularly drawn from his lungs due to pneumonia.

He has, however, made steady progress and can walk about 30m and up a few steps on the staircase. He also does not need his oxygen tank.

The cleric says he is grateful to all those who have stood with him, especially the staff at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi and the people who have contributed money to settle the outstanding hospital bill.

His parting shot is for Kenyans to follow the State’s guidelines, treat the disease with the seriousness it deserves, and not ostracise those who have recovered.