Kericho man who woke up in mortuary dies

Peter Kiplangat Cheruiyot

Peter Kiplangat Cheruiyot who was presumed dead and taken to the mortuary only to be found alive. He died on Thursday.

Photo credit: Vitalis Kimutai | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Peter Cheruiyot was transferred to the mortuary hours after his family members rushed him to hospital when he collapsed at his home.
  • When he fainted at Keroncho village in Cheplanget on Tuesday last week, the patient was rushed to hospital by relatives.  

The man who was taken to the mortuary at Kapkatet Sub County Hospital in Kericho County after being presumed dead, has breathed his last.

Peter Cheruiyot died on Thursday afternoon in an ambulance while he was being transferred to Kericho County Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.

He was transferred to the mortuary hours after his family rushed him to hospital after he collapsed at his home.

Cheplanget Ward Representative Hezborn Tonui, who confirmed Cheruiyot's death said: “It is true. He has breathed his last while being transferred to Kericho for further treatment. I am at his homestead condoling with the family,” Mr Tonui told the Nation on telephone.

In an interview with the Nation on Thursday last week, Cheruiyot said it was a miracle he was still alive. He was confident that he would recover and join his family. But that did not come to pass.

 “I am happy to be alive…it is a miracle that I am breathing, talking and I can move my limbs and eat. This is the work of God,” Cheruiyot, 32, told the Nation on Thursday last week.

Cooling chamber

In what generated a lot of reaction in the South Rift region and beyond, the father of four cried out when a mortician attempted to cut an incision on his leg so as to insert preservatives on the body before it could be put in the cooling chamber.

“I felt an excruciating pain on the leg and screamed my lungs out. It is like I was being burned with a hot iron bar,” said Cheruiyot.

During the interview, relatives, villagers and curious members of the public jammed the male ward at Kapkatet Sub County Hospital to have a glimpse of the man who “had risen from the dead”.

“I do not know what happened prior to being dumped in the mortuary. The next thing I knew after screaming, which I was initially not sure if anyone heard me, is that I was being wheeled to the ward,” said the former matatu tout.

After screaming and catching the attention of the mortician, the patient passed out again and was rushed to the emergency ward where doctors resuscitated him.

Cheruiyot fainted at Keroncho village in Cheplanget on Tuesday last week and was rushed to hospital by relatives.  

At the hospital, he was allegedly left unattended by doctors and nurses at the casualty ward.

“How they (medics) arrived at the conclusion that I had died, leading to my transfer to the mortuary is a matter of conjecture,” said Cheruiyot adding that the fresh wound on the right upper part of his leg which was cut in the morgue was very painful.  

Interestingly, despite looking frail and at times struggling to speak, he had a razor sharp memory as he could recognise relatives and friends by name.

Family members said that the man had been battling a terminal illness and had been in and out of various hospitals in the region.

Low immunity

Due to his low immunity, he had been admitted to some of the health facilities for days for treatment according to medical records seen by the Nation.

“When he fainted at home, we rushed him to hospital where doctors said he had passed on. We were shocked to be told later by the mortuary attendant that he was still alive,” Mr Kevin Kipkirui, Cheruiyot’s younger brother, told journalists at the hospital.

Dr Gilbert Cheruiyot, the Medical Superintendent at Kapkatet Sub County Hospital said: “In a breach of protocol, the family members rushed the patient to the mortuary after presuming that he had died.” 

He said that the matter was being investigated and the gaps that had been detected would be addressed after a report on the probe is tabled.

Members of the Kericho County Assembly on Tuesday absolved medical officers at the hospital of blame after an ad hoc committee on health formed to investigate the matter tabled its report in the House.

The committee was chaired by Hezron Ngetich (Chilchila ward), with Ms Ann Tum (nominated) as the vice chairperson while other members are- Paul Chirchir, Gilbert Ngetich, Wangare Njuguna, Emily Kerich, Erick Bii, Humprhey Kirui, Eric Bett and Philip Rono.