NAIROBI, Kenya- A Nairobi family is demanding justice after their 17-year-old daughter was left fighting for her life following what they allege was medical negligence at a private hospital in the Mathare area.
The teenager is currently admitted at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where she was transferred after developing severe abdominal complications following an appendicectomy procedure at the private facility.
According to the family, the girl underwent two surgeries within a short period after doctors reportedly discovered that her appendix had begun to decay. The first operation allegedly failed, prompting a second procedure that also did not improve her condition.
“When I got to the hospital, I was told my appendix had started decaying and that it was an emergency. I was taken to theatre immediately for the first operation,” the patient said from her KNH bed.
“I stayed for five days without proper wound dressing. The wound started decaying, and when I went back, they did a second operation, which also failed,” she added.
Medical officers at KNH say the patient was admitted in critical condition, suffering from a serious abdominal infection believed to have developed after the surgeries. Doctors say urgent intervention was required to stabilise her condition and prevent further complications.
The private hospital has, however, denied wrongdoing, insisting that it followed all established medical procedures and standards. The facility has shifted responsibility to the patient’s family, claiming they were informed of the risks involved.
Hospital management further alleges that the girl’s mother signed a consent form after doctors realised her condition was worsening. The family disputes this claim, insisting no such consent was given.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has since launched an investigation into the matter in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). The family is now calling for the hospital to be shut down as investigations continue.
Preliminary findings, according to reports, point to possible lapses in adherence to standard medical procedures and delays in making critical decisions — findings that directly challenge the hospital’s assertion that it offered quality care.
The probe comes barely hours after KMPDC shut down another health facility in Nairobi’s Kawangware area following complications arising from a failed tooth extraction procedure.
KMPDC has warned the public to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of unlicensed or substandard medical practice, noting that public cooperation is critical in safeguarding healthcare standards across the country.
