Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) CEO Evanson Kamuri has dispelled claims of negligence that allegedly led to the death of prolific Swahili writer Ken Walibora.
Speaking to Senate Health committee, Kamuri denied that the deceased lay in waiting for hours.
He told the Michael Mbito-led committee that Walibora who was laid to rest last week on Wednesday was attended to within 10 minutes of getting to the referral hospital.
In fact, he said, three medical doctors took care of him until his time of death.
The KNH CEO gave a breakdown of events starting with April 10 when the Siku Njema author was first brought to the Emergency Section until the next day, April 11 when he breathed his last.
Speaking during the virtual meeting, Kamuri said Walibora had serious head injuries and kept on convulsing hence making it hard for doctors to move him to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
His breathing was also spontaneous.
“The patient had serious head injuries and was convulsing when he was brought in. He was categorised as critically ill,” he said.
He was moved to the Acute Resuscitation Room within the casualty area which is a more like a semi ICU.
At 10.10 am, Kamuri said, the critically ill patient was reviewed by a medical team and was found to have suffered severe injuries to his upper limb.
Later that day at around 4 pm, he was taken to the ICU after his breathing deteriorated.
His condition worsened and at 1.10 am, Walibora succumbed to his injuries.
“We did what we could do that was humanly possible,” Dr Kamuri said.
The hospital on April 15 fingerprinted the victim as family could not identify him due to the injuries, he said.
The committee opened an inquiry into the negligence claims after reports indicated that Walibora waited for 14 hours to receive medical attention.
“The Senate Committee on Health, chaired by Senator Michael Mbito (Trans Nzoia County) has considered reports of the alleged negligence of the late Prof Ken Walibora at the emergency unit of Kenyatta National Hospital. The committee resolved to meet the CEO (Dr. Evanson Kamuri) on Monday (April 27) as inquiry leading to his death,” senator Mbito tweeted.
The writer was laid to rest at his Trans Nzoia home in the absence of his wife and two children who are in the States.
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