Top Pumwani Hospital staff suspended over 12 infant bodies in boxes

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has suspended top officials at Pumwani Maternity Hospital after an impromptu visit where he discovered12 bodies of infants hidden in boxes.

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They include Pumwani Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr. Catherine Mutinda, the hospital’s administrator Zaddock Angahya and Dr. James Kamau, who was the Obstetrician and Gynecologist on duty.

“All those responsible for this negligence will face full force of the law. I’m not going to allow this to happen to our mothers, they must take responsibility for the deaths,” the Governor said.

He also reported the matter at Pangani Police Station and investigations to ascertain how the babies died at the maternity hospital are underway.

Sonko has also constituted a caretaker Board to be chaired by Ms. Ann Waceke who will oversee the management in the mean time.

Dr. Simon Mueke has been appointed as the new medical superintendent of Pumwani Hospital.

On Monday morning, the Governor discovered that only six out of the 12 bodies had been recorded on the mortuary sheet as the rest remained undocumented raising suspicion over the deaths.

During the unexpected visit, top officials at the hospital and consultant doctors had not reported to work as scheduled.

Sonko has ordered immediate investigations and subsequent disciplinary action be taken against the hospital staff.

The suspended officials have also been ordered to show cause why disciplinary action should not be preferred against them within 14 days.

The Governor has further instructed the chief officer and the County Executive Member of Heath to oversee a fully functional structure for the Hospital to avert any service delivery lapses.

On Monday, the Governor also found expectant mothers waiting to get prenatal care with some writhing in pain after having not been attended to for several hours.

Florence Wanjiku, one of the mothers, narrated to the Governor how she checked in to the hospital at 11pm the previous night but by 10am Monday, she had not been assisted.

“I’m told there is a shortage of 50 nurses at Pumwani hospital alone. My administration will address the problem by hiring 80 nurses for Nairobi County hospitals,”  the Governor responded.

The visit by the governor came after one of the mothers who lost her babies at the facility contacted his office to report alleged cases of negligence at the maternity hospital.

Report by the Governor’s Press Service