Doctors to be probed over patient’s death
Two senior doctors at the Nairobi Hospital will face disciplinary action over allegations of misconduct, leading to the death of a patient.
Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi on Monday dismissed a petition by Dr Andrew Kibet Cheruiyot and Dr Andrew Kiarie Ndonga challenging the investigation against them.
Judge Ngugi ruled that the petition lacked merit and gave the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board the green light to conduct an inquiry into their conduct, which led to the death of Gordonson Kihara Karingithi in 2002.
“I find no merit in the petitioner’s case since I am satisfied that the interest of justice demands that the incident resulting in the death of Mr Kihara should be investigated and the matter brought to a close,” Judge Ngugi ruled.
She added that it would not be in the interest of the doctors or Mr Kihara’s widow, Tabitha Njeri Kihara, to have the issues in the dispute, which touch on the loss of life and professional competence, to be left hanging indefinitely.
Dr Cheruiyot and Dr Ndonga filed the petition as a result of Ms Kihara’s complaint to the medical board that their negligence led to the death of her husband when he was referred to Nairobi Hospital in January 2002.
Ms Kihara says she received a call from the hospital that her husband was at the accident and emergency department with alleged alcohol intoxication.
She said she was told her husband had “mixed beers” and required only some detoxification, but later found him writhing in pain on a stretcher.
She took him home, but his condition worsened and she took him back to the hospital.
He was taken to the resuscitation room, but after some time the doctors informed her that he had died.
She added that a postmortem established that her husband died as a result of hypertension.