Homa Bay Governor Cyprian Awiti was on Tuesday hard put to explain the “deliberate cover up” of the circumstances leading to the death of a nurse in the county.
Awiti had initially told the Senate Health Committee chaired by Trans Nzoia Senator Michael Mbito that Marriane Awuor privately travelled to Kisii to see a gynaecologist, an explanation contradicted by her husband.
According to the governor, Marriane’s case was not a medical emergency.
“The late Marianne experienced difficulty in breathing and was admitted to Rachuonyo South Sub-county hospital for investigation and management the same day. A Covid-19 test, among others, turned negative,” he told the senators.
“She later travelled to Kisii to see her private gynaecologist. While in Kisii she again experienced difficulties in breathing and the gynaecologist requested to do a Covid-19 test which turned positive. On July 25, a repeat test was done and it turned negative and a subsequent one done after two days also turned negative.”
However, her husband’s statement contradicted the governor’s explanation. It gave chilling disclosures of a failing healthcare system could have complicated the deteriorating health of the nurse.
The statement of Marriane’s widower Stephen Okal – read to the Senate committee – exposed a malfunctioning health system that could not even allow the nurse to transfer to a neighbouring county as the county’s ambulance had no oxygen essential for the critical transfer.
“Transfering her from Rachuonyo South Hospital to KUTRH became a nightmare. We were informed that the ambulance at the hospital was poorly equipped and could not offer oxygen support to my wife for the transfer,” Okal said.
There was no other ambulance in the county with the oxygen support, he said. A Red Cross ambulance arrived after six hours.
Okal said the long wait could have contributed to the worsening of Marriane’s health condition.
And in what incriminates the county government, Okal said the had to activate his wife’s NHIF cover plus penalties after it was evident that the employer was not remitting the statutory deduction.
He also accused the county government of overworking his wife in the busy theatre department despite being seven and half months pregnant.
“She had to work odd hours and weekends. She would leave the house at 11pm or even 3am to handle emergencies. Couldn’t she have been moved to a less physically demanding department away from the frontline given her condition?” Okal asked.
The 32-year-old Marriane died of Covid-19 related complications on August 2.
The committee also demanded an explanation on delayed salaries of healthcare workers.
