A woman has claimed that she was robbed off her baby at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital yesterday, a day after the County Governor James Ongwae asked health officials to step up efforts in improving service delivery.
Felicita Mweni, 20, narrated how an unidentified middle aged woman who offered to help her with the baby upon discharge from the hospital with her baby.
‘‘I had turned to pick my basins which I had left in ward when the woman approached me and offered to help carry the baby for me. I was alone because my husband was sick,” she said adding.
“I was however stunned to find that the she had disappeared with my baby and could not trace her,” she told reporters.
She said further efforts to trace the woman hit the rock after people waiting at the hospital gate said the woman had boarded a bodaboda which sped off towards the central business district of Kisii Town.
She said she had never seen the woman before the incident. “It was my first time to see her and I was all alone doing the clearance with the hospital.”
Hospital Chief, Dr Enock Ondari, however refuted the claimssaying hospital camera footage showed Ms Mweni clearing from the hospital.
“Hospital footages showed her walking out together with another woman who was carrying the baby for her. We wish that she is arrested to assist with the investigations to recover the baby,” Dr Ondari said on phone.
The incident has come barely a day after Governor James Ongwae warned of malaise among health officers working in health facilities in the county.
Governor Ongwae who was opening at a two day HIV/Aids stock taking conference in Suneka said he has been receiving frequent calls and texts from people unhappy with services in the main county hospital, Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital.
“Every other day I receive texts and calls from people not happy with the services in our hospitals, and sometime I am in a dilemma whether to crack a whip,” he told health officers, including Dr Ondari, the hospital superintendent.
He added, “I am aware that some health worker, besides absenting themselves unnecessarily from work, they also break early on Friday leaving patients to suffer needlessly.”
Ms Mweni said she had reported the incident to Kisii Central Police station for investigation.
The incident is likely to trigger questions after the Governor last week signed a two billion donation for the establishment of a Cancer Centre.<