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Passenger who fell ill aboard SGR train dies


A passenger who fell ill aboard SGR train from Mombasa to Nairobi on Friday has died.

Ms Florence Makau died while receiving treatment at Kibwezi Sub County Hospital on Friday evening.

Florence, who was diabetic, lost consciousness after her blood sugar rose. Doctors said that her blood pressure dropped.

Accompanied by her sister Ms Damaris Makau, Florence looked well when she started the five-hour journey from Mombasa to Nairobi at 3.15 pm on Friday. According to Damaris, her sister started complaining of dizziness.

DIZZINESS

“She complained of dizziness, at one point she said she was going to faint,” said Damaris.
A few minutes before the train reached the Kibwezi station, Florence’s condition deteriorated, forcing the crew to make an emergency stop as they made frantic efforts to resuscitate her.

A series of attempts were made to offer the patients first aid before she was rushed to Kibwezi Sub County Hospital where she was admitted after her condition failed to stabilise.

A nurse at the hospital said the patient’s blood sugar had risen while her blood pressure dropped. She said the patient died an hour after being admitted to the facility.

EMERGENCIES

“Medics who were travelling with the patient on the train raised the alarm after she fell ill before the train stopped in Kibwezi,” said the nurse in charge of Kibwezi Sub County Hospital Grace Muendo.

The incident has raised concerns of the passengers’ safety. Some passengers say they do not feel safe travelling in the train, since it has no emergency medical kits and medics on board.

“I have travelled by SGR five times. In three instances, I have heard the crew calling on passenger medics for help during emergencies,” said Ms Ann Musyimi.

“The patient did not have a glucometer so, we had to borrow one,” said another passenger.