A funeral set to be held on Tuesday for a mother who died while delivering a baby at the Gatundu Level Four Hospital a fortnight ago has been cancelled.
Rose Waithira Kanyingi passed on in what was alleged to have been precipitated by negligence by doctors who performed a Caesarian Section on her. The new born however, survived.
The Caesarian Section interfered with her intestines according to reports. When she was stitched back, she started defecating direct in the stomach which caused her a lot of pain and swelling.
She was transferred to Thika level 5 Hospital where she underwent another surgery and it was discovered the intestines were had been cut during the CS.
It had also affected her breathing system. The deceased could not breathe on her own; she was booked in ICU and later the general ward with assisted oxygen where she passed on after developing irreversible breathing difficulties.
There was great hue and cry from her family and the community who were all trying to seek answers from Gatundu Hospital and the county government of Kiambu.
A few days ago, a post mortem was conducted to establish her cause of death but it turned out to open a new chapter of controversy over her death.
Family and leaders from Kiambu led by Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria and Gladys Chania categorically rejected the autopsy report. They roped in a private pathologist for second opinion which effectively led to cancellation of Waithera’s burial scheduled for Tuesday, May 8.
Kuria while weighing in on the matter stated on Monday: “As the people of Gatundu South we categorically reject the post mortem results for our beloved Rose Waithera Kanyingi.
“We are sure there was a clear case of professional negligence. In conjunction with the family we have engaged a private pathologist for a second opinion. Consequently the burial that was set to take place tomorrow has been put off indefinitely,” said Kuria.
Chania on her part said the decision to put off Waithera’s burial to a later date was not an easy one to make but for the sake of justice, it had to be made.
“Trust me it was not an easy decision to cancel (the burial) an already planned burial but when you ponder what you will ever tell the 2 weeks child about justice for his mother you then decide the unthinkable,” opined Chania.
“The pathologist report on the death of Waithera didn’t not match her ordeal and so we have to do a repeat post mortem with an independent pathologist and police involvement and family well represented,” she added.
Chania said the second post mortem by a private pathologist will be conducted on Wednesday.
“The repeat post mortem is for Wednesday and may justice prevail.”