Nairobi County Government health team and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) have temporarily closed a popular maternity centre in Kawangware.
The team that visited Muteithania Nursing and Maternity said that the facility was not equipped to offer such services.
According to Mohamed Ahmed, who heads the Department of Public Inspection at KMPDU, the move was taken following complaints from members of the public regarding the services offered at the facility.
Mr Ahmed said that the facility has been negatively mentioned regarding its services and that the recent case was related to the death of a woman at the facility.
Mr David Mutegi and a lady only identified as Mercy who are the proprietors of the facility were put to task to explain the circumstances that led to the death of their patient-identified as Maureen Achieng.
According to Mercy, the patient approached the facility in the evening and was ushered in while bleeding, ready for delivery and the team did not have enough time to make records.
She narrated that the nurse who was working in the night shift received the patient and since she was bleeding, the nurse thought that it was a normal delivery and took her straight to the delivery room.
“The nurse told us that the baby delivery was successful. The baby made some noise, which to us as professional health workers is an indication that the baby is alive,” Mercy explained.
She said this was around 4 a.m. but unfortunately, the baby died almost immediately, forcing the nurse who was attending to her to call for help.
“When I arrived, the woman had turned pale white. We tried to call an ambulance but since that was taking too long, I put her into my personal car and rushed her to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH),” she said.
However, according to Mercy, the woman collapsed at the KNH casualty area and efforts to resuscitate her failed.
All that time, the corpse of the baby was at the maternity facility.
She said that after reporting the matter at Muthangari Police Station, she took the baby’s corpse to City Mortuary.
Following the turn of events, the facility has been closed until investigations are complete.
Health Chief Officer Mr Geoffrey Mosiria said that the county was conducting a crackdown on illegal health facilities operating in the county.
“We realised that Muteithania Nursing and Maternity does not meet standards. Even the facility itself is not disability friendly. The staff we are meeting inside do not even have uniforms. We have decided to close the facility,” Mr Mosiria said.
Nairobi County Assembly Health Committee chairperson Maurice Ochieng who represents Mountain View ward said that the Assembly will take the matter seriously.
“We are sending a strong message to Nairobians, if we find you operating a clinic or any medical facility without approvals, without license, we will catch up with you,” Mr Ochieng said.
The team stated they investigated how the woman found herself in the middle of the night at the facility without the presence of any relative.
