Residents of Dandora took to the streets on Monday, September 16 after a woman, Mary Atieno, was forced to deliver outside the Dandora Health Centre after being turned away.
The residents protested what they termed as negligence from the dispensary owned by the Nairobi County Government.
According to Atieno, the staff at the clinic asked her to seek medical attention at Mama Lucy hospital, but could not make it and delivered just outside the facility.
She further stated that the attendants had told her that they could not feel the foetal movements and therefore, she needed urgent medical attention from Mama Lucy Hospital.
"They told me the baby was not moving and thus needed to head to Mama Lucy. After reaching outside the gate, I felt I could not reach Mama Lucy, so I came back because the baby was almost out. They still chased me with my prenatal book that I should rush to the other facility," Atieno Narrated.
Angry women took to the streets, claiming that the woman delivered while holding on to the health centre's gate in full glare of the medical staff who didn't assist.
The protesters also stated that the facility has been known for demanding admission fees before attending to pregnant mothers, contrary to the government's free maternity policy.
"Here you don't deliver for free, you are usually asked to pay for the card," complained one protester.
The residents engaged police in running battles that took the better part of the day, as they stoned the facility demanding justice for Atieno.
They further accused the health centres management of not paying attention to mothers from the area.
Below is the video courtesy of Daily Nation.
