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The county Health department has launched investigations into alleged medical negligence at Barkorwa Mission Health Centre where a newborn died under unclear circumstances.
Health Executive Maureen Atyang yesterday said she had dispatched a team from her office to unearth the mystery around the Saturday evening incident at the faith-based hospital.
Pauline Auma, a resident of Kisumo-Kadongo in Kisumu West, has accused the hospital of abandoning her during delivery, despite her crying out for help.
Samwel Odhiambo shows the grave of his daughter at their residence in Kadongo village in Kisumu on August 25. [Denish Ochieng/Standard]
According to Auma, she had been attending her ante-natal clinics at Kombewa Sub-county Hospital until last month.
“When I started experiencing labour, I took a boda boda to Kombewa, but I was turned away that there was no hospital staff due to the ongoing strike by health workers,” she said.
This prompted her to move to Barkorwa, about five kilometres away.
At the hospital, Auma said she was examined by a nurse who assured her that the baby’s position was fine, instructing her to just lie in bed.
“After a few minutes, the fluid bag burst and the baby began to get out. I tried to push until I couldn’t push anymore. I called the nurses but they did not come, instead shouting from the neighbouring room that I continue pushing,” she said.
At one point, Auma said she lost all her strength and temporarily lost consciousness. When she regained some strength, the baby’s head was out, but she was stuck at the shoulder.
She said other patients who were waiting for treatment started to shout at the nurses in displeasure, forcing them to go to the room where Auma was.
“When two nurses came, they continued telling me to push, but I told them I had no strength. They told me I should have used the strength I wasted shouting at them to push,” she said.
The nurses then helped pull the baby and took her to the neighbouring room. Auma said the baby was alive at the time because she heard her cry.
An hour later, Auma said the nurses came and informed her that the baby had died.
Nurse in charge Sister Roseline Ngayo declined to comment on the matter.
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