Couple Who Saved Raphael Tuju's Life

Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju during a press briefing on January 9, 2019.
Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju during a press briefing on January 9, 2019.

Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju has been from one hospital to another since he got into an accident along the Nairobi-Nakuru Highway while en route the late President Daniel arap Moi's burial ceremony on February 12, 2020 

At first, he was taken to the Kijabe Hospital where he underwent surgery before being transferred to Karen Hospital and later airlifted to the UK for specialised treatment.

Tuju, who held a press conference on Thursday, March 12, 2020, disclosed that his lungs had collapsed and doctors at the Karen Hospital had to make the life and death decision to unplug him from the life support machine so that he could go for specialised treatment in London.

A photo of Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju (centre) addressing a press conference at Karen Hospital, Nairobi alongside hospital Cardiologist Dr Dan Gikonyo (left) and CEO Betty Gikonyo.
Jubilee Party Secretary General Raphael Tuju (centre) addressing a press conference at Karen Hospital, Nairobi alongside Karen Hospital Cardiologist Dr Dan Gikonyo (left) and CEO Betty Gikonyo on March 12, 2020
The Standard

The CS without portfolio specifically showered praises on Betty Gikonyo and Dan Gikonyo, the owners of the Karen Hospital, whom he stated had been very instrumental in the period where he was unconscious for about one week. 

“I lost about one week of my life that I have no recollection of what happened," he told journalists. 

"I want to thank you for the great work you did to save my life," he expressed.

"Dr Dan Gikonyo left his family for two weeks to join the team in London which was beyond the call of duty. He has only done that once before when President Mwai Kibaki had an accident, so that was a great privilege and I thank my brother," Tuju continued.

The CS recalled that Dan left his duties at his hospital and joined doctors in London for the specialised treatment.

"At one time, I thought they were going to throw him out but he was there to ensure that I got the best so I thank him most sincerely," Tuju stated.

Dr Dan Gikonyo is a chief cardiologist with over 43 years of experience. He is a post-doctoral fellow in adult cardiology from the University of Minnesota, US.

On the other hand, Dr Betty Gikonyo boasts 40 years of experience as a paediatric cardiologist in Kenya. She is both an interventional and non-invasive paediatric cardiologist.

"She was the first Kenyan female cardiologist and has been instrumental in mentoring and training of majority paediatric cardiologists in the country," reads an excerpt from the Karen Hospital's website.

Dr Betty is a post-doctoral fellow in paediatric cardiology in the University of Minnesota, US and has a masters of medicine in paediatrics, (University of Nairobi), bachelor of medicine and surgery (University of Nairobi) and a diploma in tropical medicine from the same university.

During an interview with BBC Africa, Betty stated that she and her husband combined their expertise and skills to establish Karen Hospital.

"From the onset, we wanted to take care of children and adults with heart problems, realising that my husband is an adult doctor and I am a paediatrician. So we were going to combine our two skills and take care of the children and also the adults.

"It took us over ten years of knocking doors and agents to get funding. We were not looking for charity but for loans to start the hospital," she stated.

A photo of Dr Betty Gikonyo, a paediatric cardiologist at the Karen Hospital.
Dr Betty Gikonyo, a paediatric cardiologist at the Karen Hospital.
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