Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki has ordered for a probe into Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi.
The CS on Monday evening ordered the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), the Nursing Council of Kenya and the Clinical Officers Council of Kenya to probe the death of 12 infants at the hospital and give a report within 24 hours.
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko had earlier made an impromptu visit to the hospital where he found the dead infants' bodies stuffed in boxes and plastic bags.
"Conducting impromptu visit at Pumwani Hospital, where it’s alleged by members of the public that the management shutdown the machines at the Maternity Wing, leading to loss of lives of young ones. This is a police matter. You can’t lose 12 babies in a day," he tweeted.
Angered by the level of negligence at the institution which has in the past been in the headlines for the wrong reasons, he disbanded its board of management and top staff.
Among the top staff suspended are the hospital's medical superintendent Catherine Mutinda, the obstetrician who was the doctor on duty, Dr James Kamau and the administrator Zadock Angahya.
Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja said those responsible for the deaths of the 12 infants should be arrested.