Robert Omondi, a bereaved father of twins, is now appealing for help to accord his wife a befitting sendoff following her demise, hours after she gave birth.
Omondi, a casual labourer, asked well-wishers to help him clear the morgue and hospital bills his wife left behind and money to cater for the newborn twins.
Speaking on Thursday, September 15, Omondi disclosed that the twins were admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after they developed complications.
Doctors diagnosed the two with jaundice, and their condition was said to be worsening.
The 29-year-old detailed that the morgue bill had totalled Ksh12,000. Nairobi governor, Johnson Sakaja, had reportedly promised to intervene and help him bury his wife and also clear the bill.
"I still wait in hope. I know the governor is a truthful person who keeps his word. I’m still waiting for him at my house as he had promised to visit. I hope for the best," he stated.
Omondi's wife bled to death at Mama Lucy Hospital, with the father blaming the healthcare givers for failing to act to save her life.
The wife had been referred to Mama Lucy Hospital from Kiambu Level Five hospital where she gave birth. Omondi claimed that the morgue in Kiambu was to charge him Ksh700 daily until September 29 to keep his wife's body.
Postmortem results indicated that the woman succumbed to heavy bleeding and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) exerted by fluids inside the brain tissue.
"As a result of my examination, I formed the opinion that the cause of death was raised intracranial pressure, pulmonary oedema, pre-eclampsia and post-partum haemorrhage," Dorothy Njeru, a government pathologist, stated.
Following her passing, Sakaja formed a task force to oversee reforms in the County's Health Sector. Professor Olive Mugenga was appointed to lead the task force that includes former chief administrative secretary in the Ministry of Health, Mercy Mwangangi, and Amref Health Africa CEO Githinji Gitahi.
"The situation is not good. I apologise on behalf of the previous administration as well as the NMS for the state of things. We will take better care of you," Sakaja stated after visiting Mama Lucy Hospital.
The first time governor was compelled to apologise after learning that the hospital maternity wing was overcrowded. In his observation, the doctor-patient ratio exceeded worldwide health recommendations.
