Kenya National Hospital, KNH, has denied negligence claims made against it following the death of a two and half years old Travis Maina, who died due to a head injury.
Through a statement issued on Wednesday by George Ooko, the chairperson of the KNH Board of Management, the hospital acted swiftly to save the boy’s life who had a fork Jembe lodged in his head.
According to the hospital, the boy arrived at the KNH on Monday, October 10 at 6:30pm after he was referred from Thika Level V Hospital.
Mr,Ooko said that at the time of arrival the circumstances and the timing of the injury remained unclear. He added that clinical examinations on the patient, including CT scans and blood tests confirmed a penetrating injury into the brain, brain swelling with ongoing bleeding and possible infection.
In addition the ability of the patient blood to clot was impaired, requiring correction before any surgical intervention,
Mr. Ooko continued to say the patient’s condition continued to deteriorate despite the interventions. However, the blood deficit and clotting became acceptable by Tuesday 8am October 11 and a decision to proceed with the removal of the foreign object was made.
Unfortunately, the patient developed complications while in the theatre and efforts to resuscitate him were futile.
Part of the statement read” The patient arrived at Kenyatta National Hospital at 6.30 pm but the circumstances and timing of the injury remained unclear. He was received at the Accident and Emergency Department and our team, including the consultant neurosurgeons, immediately commenced treatment and investigations to determine the safest management approach.
“At Kenyatta National Hospital … the patient was received in the critical care unit for immediate stabilisation and surgery.”
“Additionally, the ability of his blood to clot was impaired, requiring correction before any surgical intervention.”
However, the boy’s mother Judy Muthoni,29, while talking to the Nation said her son died due to negligence by the hospital as she couldn’t raise Sh20, 500 for admission.
She continued to say her son died before he was wheeled into the theatre at the at Casualty where only first aid was administered
She said blamed the doctors for her son’s death as they were more concerned about her raising Sh20, 500 to secure a bed than saving his life.
She said together with her brother they waited from Monday evening to Tuesday afternoon at the Casualty Area without being admitted.
While recounting the events leading to her son’s death, she said one of her three boys hit his youngest brother, Travis Maina with a fork Jembe and it ended up firmly lodged in the head while they were playing under a mango tree. The eldest sons are aged eight and six years old.
First to arrive at the scene was their uncle Hussein Njau who heard a scream from one of the older boys, who said Travis had been hit on the head.
He rushed the boy to Ndula Dispensary, but was closed since Monday was a public holiday. He then proceeded to Thika Level v Hospital where he was given first aid before he was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital as the hospital lacked specialized equipment to handle the case.
The boys’ mother was not at home when Travis got hurt. She was called and later joined Njau and her son at the hospital.
After arriving at Kenyatta at 6.35 pm they were asked to pay Sh1, 260, which her sister ,Lucy Wambui, paid.
Later they were asked to pay Sh20, 500 for admission which they did not have resulting to them staying at the Casualty Area from Monday evening to Tuesday afternoon where the boy passed on.
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