Women MPs visit Kenyatta National Hospital on Saturday, January 20, 2018. [Photo|Gladys Wanga]Women MPs visited the Kenyatta National Hospital on Saturday on a fact finding mission following allegations of rape of new mothers. The MPs spoke to several mothers who confirmed that they had been advised by staff to walk in groups while going to breastfeed because of security concerns but also for company. Some confirmed having been scared by men in the lifts and corridors especially in the wee hours. The MPs included Gladys Wanga, Sabina Chege, Milicent Omanga, Naisula Lesuuda, Esther Passaris among others."Assertions by the management that no complaints had been raised could be false as some of the women said they had been briefed of an incidence on Thursday and advised to be careful as they moved around," said Wanga.The mothers are located in various wards some on 3rd Floor, 1st Flor and Ground Floor while the new born unit (NBU) is on the 1st Floor. The movement up and down is definitely overwhelming for new mothers especially those who undergone Cesarean Section.The MPs discussed with the KNH CEO Lily Koros the need to rearrange and bring the mothers closer to the NBU.The Health Committee noted a myraid of other challenges facing KNH including acute congestion which Wanga said is a factor of overally failing health system. "With lower level facilities failing, a national referral facility such as KNH then has to deal with primary health concerns. Sanitation and hygiene is also poor resulting in infection of mothers and babies," she said.One major improvement at the hospital the MPs observed is availability of newly installed CCTV cameras which began work in December 2017 "We hope will aid the investigations to bring any suspects of rape to book expeditiously and deter any future incidences. We have also asked any victims or their relatives to report KEWOPA offices at Harambee Sacco Plaza 9th Floor.""Walking through the corridors of KNH, you sense the breakdown of our overall health system as a country, and while you are angry you meet staff who are overwhelmed by numbers that could have been handled in Tier I - V facilities that probably have no equipment, health workers and drugs. That is how patients with a cough or malaria will find themselves at a National Referral hospital that is also underfunded.""We thank the staff who took time to take us round the hospital. We will keep a keen eye on progress and followup through the health committee," concluded Wanga.

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