The management of Vihiga Teaching and Referral Hospital has issued a statement following concerns raised online regarding the death of a patient who had been admitted after a road accident.
In a statement released on Thursday, June 4, the hospital said the patient was received at the Accident and Emergency Department on May 29 at around 8:50 p.m. after being involved in a road traffic accident.
According to the hospital’s assessment records, the patient arrived with a blood pressure reading of 164/68 mmHg, a pulse rate of 111 BPM, oxygen saturation (SpO₂) of 82 percent, and a random blood sugar (RBS) level of 7.0 mmol/L.
The hospital explained that doctors immediately initiated emergency measures after noting the patient’s low oxygen saturation levels.
“Due to the low oxygen saturation levels, oxygen supplementation was initiated immediately at 4 litres per minute using an oxygen concentrator while preparations for further investigations, including a CT scan, were being made,” part of the statement read.
However, the hospital claimed that the oxygen support was later interfered with by one of the patient’s caretakers.
“According to documentation by the Accident and Emergency team, one of the patient’s caretakers/relatives switched off the oxygen concentrator and requested that an oxygen cylinder be provided instead,” the statement added.
The patient’s condition reportedly deteriorated shortly afterwards.
“At approximately 9:10 p.m., the patient’s condition deteriorated and he began gasping. The Accident and Emergency team, led by a consultant, immediately commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other advanced life-support measures,” the hospital stated.
Despite efforts by the medical team, the patient was pronounced dead at 9:30 p.m.
Following an internal review, the hospital maintained that healthcare workers followed all the required clinical procedures and emergency care protocols while attending to the patient.
The statement comes days after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) condemned an incident in Naivasha where an angry crowd stormed a hospital and forcefully took away the body of a deceased patient.
KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah warned that attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers endanger lives and disrupt critical medical services.
