Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko made an impromptu visit to Pumwani Maternity Hospital on Monday.
Sonko suspended top officials at the facility including its entire board after he discovered bodies belonging to twelve infants lying in the hospital.
It is said they died at the hospital over the weekend in unclear circumstances.
To Sonko's surprise, only six out of the twelve bodies were recorded at the hospital's mortuary with the rest remaining undocumented thereby raising suspicion over their deaths.
Those suspended include Pumwani Hospital's Superintendent Catherine Mutinda, Administration Officers Zadock Angahya, and George Nyadimo and obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. James Kamau.
During the impromptu visit, top officials at the hospital and consultant doctors had not reported to work as scheduled.
“All those responsible for this negligence will face full force of the law. I’m not going to allow this to happen to our mothers, they must take responsibility for the deaths,” Sonko said.
The governor has already reported the matter to Pangani Police station and police have launched investigations to ascertain how the babies died at the hospital.
“I’m going to overhaul the management of the hospital because this is pure negligence. I don’t understand how the babies died despite the functioning facilities at the hospital.
"I will take administrative action after police conclude their investigations on those responsible for the deaths,” he added.
During the impromptu visit, the governor was also surprised to find out how expectant mothers struggle to get prenatal care at the facility.
Florence Wanjiku, one of the expectant mothers narrated to the governor how she was unattended by Monday at 10:00 am even after checking in at the hospital on Sunday night at 11:00 pm.
“Governor, I came here yesterday but up to now, I have not been attended to by the doctors. Please help me,” pleaded the expectant mother who was later attended to after Sonko ordered doctors on duty to attend to all women seeking prenatal care.
The governor made the impromptu visit to the hospital after one of the mothers who lost her babies at the facility contacted him to report cases of negligence at the hospital.
Sonko visited the facility on a bodaboda, catching the management off guard.
He promised that his government will hire 80 nurses for county hospitals this month to fill the void left by nurses who have left public service.
“I’m told there is a shortage of 50 nurses at Pumwani hospital alone, my administration will address the problem by hiring 80 nurses for Nairobi County hospitals,” Sonko said.
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