A section of Nanyuki residents held demonstrations at the Nanyuki Teaching and Referrals Hospital’s main gate decrying poor health services in the hospital.
This follows the death of a woman in the waiting bay on Monday as nurses celebrated a colleague’s birthday.
According to the residents, the hospital’s services are deteriorating at an alarming rate. They complained that the hospital lacks enough specialist doctors hence denying them their right to quality health.
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Antony Muriimi, one of the residents, said that anytime a patient is admitted at the hospital, there is fear that he or she may not get back alive.
“We are tired of people losing their lives at NTRH. We are sending a message to governor Ndiritu Muriithi and the CEC Rose Maitai that we want this negligence to stop. We want the service we deserve,” Muriimi added.
Halima Hassan aged 58 died while awaiting tests after she was rushed to the facility by her family from their Majengo home in Nanyuki Town.
According to her son Ramadhan Hassan Omar, Halima was treated at the facility’s Emergency Unit and prescribed several lab tests but they were never attended to promptly as they were told to wait at the bay.
"On several occasions, I approached a male nurse for help who felt I was nagging and rudely told me off,” Omar told K24 Digital.
On the queue, several other patients were waiting to be attended to as Halima’s condition worsened to death.
It was shocking to discover that, all this time, the laboratory attendants on duty and other nurses in the facility were locked in one of the rooms celebrating a colleague’s birthday party.
Laikipia County Health CEC Rose Maitai has confirmed knowledge of the incident and assured disciplinary actions.
“Unfortunately, it’s true. Disciplinary action has been taken including interdiction of some,” she said.
Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi has also said that investigation into the matter has begun and that he will issue a statement once the investigation is complete.
In the same facility, a 24-year-old mother of two died after bleeding to death. According to her family, she didn’t receive any help during her stay at the facility leading to her death.
They allege that she direly needed blood which seven volunteers had offered to donate but the health officials could not carry out the transfusion because it was on a public holiday.
They had also previously been instructed to purchase medicine from a nearby chemist which was not administered to her despite the hospital billing them.
The family now claims that the hospital neglected the young mother who has left behind two children aged 3 weeks and 1 year respectively.
