Kidero forms team to probe toddler’s death after five-hour wait for ambulance
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has set up a team to investigate the death of three-month-old Dominic Otieno at Mama Lucy Hospital on Wednesday after waiting for five hours for an ambulance.
The baby’s father, Mr Gerald Juma, said he will sue the hospital over negligence.
“I left home with my baby and came back without him. If the hospital had provided the ambulance as expected, my son would be alive,” said Mr Juma.
Dr Kidero said anyone found to have neglected the child will face the full wrath of the law.
CAUSE OF DEATH
“It is unfortunate to learn that a child’s life was lost. I would like to assure Nairobi residents that we have launched investigations to establish the cause of the death. We are here to provide services to residents and not to frustrate them,” said Dr Kidero.
He said efforts were being made to improve services at Mama Lucy Hospital, adding that more staff were being hired.
Cash has also been set aside for the completion of construction at the facility. Sixty per cent of the work has been done so far.
“Every Kenyan has a right to proper health care. This is most critical in the capital, which has a high incidence of diseases due to a high population density and other environmental factors that predispose people to infections and illnesses,” said the county boss.
MORTUARY ATTENDANT
The County Executive for Health, Dr Bernard Muia, said they had also secured the services of a mortuary attendant from City Mortuary to avoid a bizarre incident where the couple stayed with their dead son for six hours.
The hospital did not have a mortuary attendant and were told that the one who could help them was stuck in traffic.
Dr Muia said Mama Lucy Hospital, which handles over 1,300 outpatients daily, has one working ambulance, with the other three having broken down a long time ago.