Doctors halt treatment of infant over lack of funds

A 1-year-old child in Migori County is in excruciating pain after doctors failed to carry out a second operation when they learned that the mother could not pay the full cost of the operation.

Britney Junior Otieno was born with an abnormally small anus, a matter that has been a source of nightmare for his single mother Maureen Odoyo.

Her hopes that her baby could have a normal life were revived after she learned that an operation could be performed to give him a normal functioning organ.

However, her hopes were dashed after the doctors who were attending to her son declined to carry out a second major operation when his mother failed to raise the required amount.

The open wound that resulted from the first operation has begun rotting and her son is in pain. She narrated that her son often screams at night, causing pain not only to the mother but also the neighbors.

Maureen Odoyo revealed that her son can’t sit or move on his bed because of the wound, for about six months.

Ms Odoyo discovered that her son was not well immediately after she weaned him after six months of breastfeeding.

“He started straining when passing urine which alarmed us,” she said.
Odoyo later discovered that no digestion was taking place since the food given to him would come out through his mouth and the nostrils.

“I later learnt that my son had a very small anus that could not allow passage of stool,” Odoyo said.

She added that her son became inactive and weak because he depended solely on breast milk, which has seen her move to several hospitals including St Joseph Ombo Hospital in Migori and Kisii Level 4 Hospital seeking treatment.

“I was referred to Eldoret where they performed the first surgery at the side of his stomach to pass stool, he now needs major surgery,” she said.

Maureen Odoyo was a hairdresser and would earn Sh1,500 per month that would go to her house rent and food.

Due to the constant attention that young Britney requires, his mother has been forced to stop her business and babysit him.

She reported that upon learning of the problem, her husband took off leaving the burden of taking care of the infant, feeding, clothing and medication on her.

Odoyo had now spent her life savings on treating her son.

Migori County Director of Health Joel Gondi said such intestinal complications can only be solved through operation in special hospitals.