A family in Nairobi is demanding justice following alleged medical negligence at a private hospital in Mathare, an ordeal that has left their 17-year-old daughter critically ill.
The teenager is currently receiving specialised treatment at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) after complications arose from an appendicectomy carried out at the private facility.
According to the family, the girl underwent two consecutive surgeries after doctors claimed her appendix had begun to rot, prompting what they described as an emergency procedure.
Recounting the incident, the patient said she was rushed into theatre for the first operation after being informed that the situation was life-threatening. However, her condition failed to improve after the surgery.
“I stayed in the hospital for five days without proper wound dressing, and the wound started decaying,” she said. She later returned for a second operation, which also did not resolve the complications.
Medical specialists at KNH revealed that the patient developed a severe abdominal infection following the surgeries. They described her condition as critical upon admission, adding that intensive measures were taken to stabilise her and control the infection.
In response, the private hospital has denied wrongdoing, insisting that all medical protocols and professional standards were followed. The facility has instead placed partial responsibility on the patient’s family while defending its handling of the case.
The hospital further claimed that the patient’s mother was asked to sign a consent form once the girl’s condition deteriorated — a claim the family strongly disputes, with the patient insisting no such consent was given.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has since launched investigations into the matter in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Preliminary findings reportedly point to procedural lapses and delayed decision-making, contradicting the hospital’s assertion of proper care.
As investigations intensify, the affected family is calling for the facility to be shut down. The case emerges shortly after KMPDC closed another health facility in Kawangware, where a patient developed complications following a botched dental procedure.
KMPDC has urged members of the public to remain alert and report suspected unlicensed or negligent medical practitioners, reiterating its commitment to safeguarding healthcare standards across the country.
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