A private hospital in Bungoma County has been ordered to pay a fine of Ksh300,000 to Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Cancil and compensate the family of a woman who lost her life under their watch.
According to a report released by KMPDC and seen by WakajuanessLive.Com, the contraversial Bungoma-based hospital failed to appreciate the severity of the patient’s need for quick medical intervention, a delay that caused the eventual demise of the 33 year old Scolasticah Odhiambo.
The inquiry report by the Ethics and Displinary Committee Chaired by Dr. Mohamed Abdi, found the hospital guilty of mismanaging the deceased after the grieved family sort justice from the government.
The conflicting death of Ms Odhiambo was first exposed by this site two years ago after the family raised lingering questions surrounding the death of their kin.
Bungoma County Official, Private Hospital on the Spot for Death of Pregnant ‘Girlfriend’ https://t.co/7jxiQnB2qX pic.twitter.com/B3xdfB8yqx
— Simiyu Wakajuaness 🗨 (@wakajuaness) April 20, 2019
The story generated heated emotions across the country with the mainstream media and other blogs also following up on the story.
KMPDC acted on the case, setting up a preliminary inquiry under PIC Case No. 40 of 2019 on 29th April, 2019 to investigate the matter and give a ruling.
On 27th June, 2019, Scholastica’s brother, Mr. Alfred Onyango Onyango, filed a complaint against the Khalaba Medical Services on behalf of the estate of the of the Scholastica Odhiambo.
Mr. Onyango submitted a statement on the chronology of events and a copy of the post-moterm report done on April 30, 2019 by pathologist Dr. Dixon Muchana.
On 11th March, 2021, the Council sat at the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council Conference Centre in Nairobi where the complainant and the Responded led by Dr. Isaac Omeri were present.
Mr. Kevin Omondi from the family’s side, appeared as first witness for the family and was led in the evidence by lawyer Frank Adede.
In the report, Mr. Omondi testified that he received a call about the sister’s maternal situation on February 19th, 2019 where he arrived at Khalaba Hospital at around 5.30AM and found the sister struggling with breathing.
His efforts to seek the nurse’s attention was frustrated by the nurse who insisted that some ladies who are friends to the patient had engaged her disrespectively and they should be the ones to attend to their patient.
However, when the patient’s situation worsened, Mr. Omondi persisted to seek the nurse’s attention and she called the senior Doctor after around half an hour. The doctor later pronounced her dead, saying she had underwent an operation but did not have enough blood, leading to her death.
Mr. Michael Baraza Simiyu appeared as the first witness for the respondent, stating that he was a Clinical Officer working with the said facility and testified that the patient had been admitted at Khalaba Medical Hospital in the morning of 18th of February, 2019 at 8.AM.
According to the report, Mr. Simiyu told the Committee that the patient was discovered to have poor progress of labour where preparations were made to have her wheeled to the threatre for a CS operation at around 1.00AM of 19th April, 2019 where the baby was obtained an hour later.
Mr. Simiyu told the hearing that Scholastica Odhiambo was wheeled back to the ward at 3.00AM of 19th February, 2019, and was still alive by 6.00AM.
In his cross-examination, Dr. Omeri stated that the facility has 29 beds with maternity having three beds and there were three nurses and one clinical officer on the night of the incident. Dr. Omeri also stated that the patient was the only maternity case on that day and the facility has a nursing station.
From the submissions, the Committee established that the patient was admitted at Khalaba Hospital on 18th of February, 2019 at 7.30AM in latent phase of labour.
The Committee also noted that Doctor Omeri had confessed that he made a decision to take the patient to threatre at 10.300PM but was wheeled to theatre at 1.00 due to what was alleged to be an unavailability of an anaesthesia. The delay, the Committee noted, resulted to prolonged labour.
The committee also faulted the Doctor for failing to institute any measures after realising that the patient was struggling with achieving uterus contraction, a sign that she had a high risk of Post-partum Haemorrhage (PPH).
“In view of the above, the Committee holds that the complaint lodged by the complainant against the respondent has merit,” stated the report.
“The Committee presents its findings to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council that in its 129th meeting held on 24th June, 2021, the Committee issues the following orders:
a) that Khalaba Medical Services be reprimanded for failing to recognise a developing PPH and failing to institute early and appropriate intervention to prevent the patient’s eventual death.
b) that Khalaba Medical Services enters into mediation with the Estate of the late Scholastica Odhiambo with a view of compensation and report back to the Chair of KMPDC within 120 days from the day hereof.
c) that Khalaba Medical Services pay a fine of Ksh300,000 to KMPDC within 30 days from the date hereof.
d) that KMPDC do inspect Khalaba Medical Services and issue more recommendations if deemed so,
d) that in case of noncompliance for (ii) and (iii) above, KMPDC will be at liberty to suspend, withdraw or cancel the operating licence of Khalaba Medical Services,” read the report dated 21st October, 2021 by Dr. Abdi.
It’s not clear whether the hospital has already paid the fine to KMPDU but our inquiry with the family showed that they have not received any compensation from the hospital.
“We have not received any communication or compensation from anyone despite the mediation deadline elapsing a few days ago,” said Mr. Onyango.
Our efforts to reach out to Dr. Omeri for comments were unsuccessful as he did not return our telephone communication by the time of pressing the ‘Publish’ button of this story.