Grief and Outrage After Nakuru Mother Dies During Childbirth Amid Suspected Negligence
A heartbreaking tragedy has unfolded at Nakuru Level 5 Hospital following the death of a young woman during childbirth, igniting widespread outrage over alleged medical negligence.
Elizabeth Wairimu Njoroge was admitted to the Margaret Kenyatta Mother and Baby Wing of Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital on Friday, April 18, 2025. She was scheduled for a Caesarean section, but her family claims the procedure was delayed for hours despite her being prepped and labeled for surgery.
Speaking to The Nairobian, her mother, Susan Wanjiku Mwangi, recalled the final moments before her daughter’s condition deteriorated. “She told me there was a queue and the nurses were still debating whether to take her in or leave her in the ward,” Wanjiku said.
Wairimu remained in high spirits overnight, but by the next day, communication with her ceased. When Wanjiku returned to the hospital, she was horrified to see her daughter being wheeled into the ICU in critical condition. “She had tape over her eyes and cotton in her mouth. I knew something was terribly wrong,” she said.
The grieving mother also alleged mistreatment by hospital staff, claiming they laughed and dismissed her concerns during the ordeal. Her son-in-law, Benson Kinyanjui Wanjiru, said Wairimu showed no signs of complications prior to surgery. “She was cheerful the night before. I don’t understand why she stayed in the theatre for over four hours,” he lamented.
Mary Wanjiru, Wairimu’s mother-in-law, described the deceased as warm and full of life. “Her death has shaken us to the core,” she said.
The family is now demanding a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wairimu’s death and is calling on Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika to take urgent action. “This hospital is becoming a death trap for women. Governor Kihika must act,” said Wanjiku.
As of press time, the hospital had not released an official statement regarding the incident.
This case mirrors a similar tragedy in Kisii, where a pregnant woman died at Magena Dispensary after allegedly being ignored by medical staff despite bleeding and calling for help. The incident led to unrest in the community, with locals demanding justice.
The repeated cases of suspected negligence have renewed calls for accountability and reform in public healthcare facilities, particularly maternal units, where delayed care continues to claim lives.
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Grief and Outrage After Nakuru Mother Dies During Childbirth Amid Suspected Negligence