NAIROBI, Kenya- A health facility in Kahawa Wendani has been earmarked for closure after allegedly turning away a woman in labour who was forced to give birth outside the facility, sparking public outrage and prompting investigations by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC).
The incident occurred earlier in the week and gained widespread attention after footage showing the woman being denied access to the facility circulated online.
Witnesses said the woman had rushed to the nearby facility seeking emergency maternity care but was allegedly turned away. She subsequently delivered the baby a few metres from the hospital before being taken to another facility for treatment.
Footage from the scene appeared to show the facility’s owner returning the woman while explaining that the hospital did not provide maternity services.
The facility, however, later explained that its staff were attending to another patient at the time and that the clinician on duty advised the woman to seek care at another nearby facility.
The woman was subsequently admitted to another hospital, where she received emergency treatment and post-delivery care. Her baby was safely delivered.
KMPDC orders action
KMPDC Director General David Kariuki said investigations into the incident established that the facility was registered as a Level 3B health centre, a classification that requires it to have the capacity to provide emergency stabilisation services.
Kariuki said the council had therefore earmarked the facility for closure over its handling of the emergency.
“We have confirmed that this facility is registered as a Level 3B that should have the capacity to provide emergency stabilisation services, and due to that reason, the facility has already been earmarked for closure,” Kariuki said.
The council’s decision comes amid growing demands for accountability over the incident and renewed scrutiny of the obligations of private and public health facilities when confronted with medical emergencies.
Kariuki stressed that a facility’s inability to provide definitive treatment does not remove its obligation to offer initial emergency care.
“Every registered health facility in this country must be able to provide emergency services to stabilise a patient even where they do not have capacity to provide treatment that is definitive for the patient’s needs,” he said.
Emergency care obligations
The incident has reignited debate over patients’ rights and the legal responsibilities of healthcare providers, particularly in emergency situations involving pregnant women.
Under Kenya’s health regulations, facilities are expected to respond appropriately to emergencies and provide stabilisation before facilitating referral where specialised treatment is unavailable.
KMPDC’s findings suggest the facility’s registration status was a key factor in determining the action being considered against it.
The case also highlights the risks faced by patients who arrive at facilities seeking urgent assistance but are referred elsewhere without first receiving appropriate stabilisation.
For the woman involved, the episode ended with a safe delivery after she was taken to another hospital. However, the circumstances surrounding her treatment have raised broader questions about emergency preparedness, staffing and accountability within health facilities.
