Shalom Hospital staff charged with manslaughter after babys death

Three staff members of Shalom Hospital in Machakos were arraigned in court after a seven-month old baby died at the facility.

They are Vincent Njau Nganga, Irene Katete Mutinda and Odhiambo Kennedy.

The suspects were on Thursday charged with manslaughter, recklessness and handling poisonous medicine without the laid out procedures.

They denied the charges before Senior Resident Magistrate Irene Kahuya and were released on Kshs.500,000 bond and surety of a similar amount.

Baby Ethan Muendo died after he was injected with a dose of morphine that was 20 times stronger than what his body could handle.

His death led to the closure of Shalom Hospital in Machakos County.

According to Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB) Chairman Fredrick Were, the baby was supposed to be given morphine through the mouth.

However, the oral prescription was not available and the practitioner directed that he instead be injected with the dose.

“The child went drowsy, went home sleepy and was brought back still very sleepy and in that process of time the child was lost,” said Prof. Were.

The body of the boy was taken to Montezuma Monalisa funeral home in Machakos County and Shalom Hospital’s trading license revoked.