Ken Walibora’s death: Why Senate says Kenyatta Hospital is not to blame
The late Ken Walibora.
What you need to know:
While the circumstances of Walibora's death remain unclear, Kenyatta Hospital has faced public condemnation.
The Senate has absolved Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) of blame over the death of scholar and former journalist Ken Walibora. Prof Walibora died at the facility after he was knocked down by a car along Landhies Road in April last year.
While the circumstances of his death remain unclear, KNH has faced public condemnation after it was claimed that its staff may have been negligent by failing to administer emergency care on the scholar.
The Health committee had in its investigations established that Prof Walibora received the necessary life-saving medical emergency interventions after his admission at the KNH, including accessing the intensive care services.
“There was no proof of negligence by KNH prior to his death,” the committee observed in its report.
It added that its investigations showed that KNH was not culpable through commission or omission for the death.
While she supported the report, nominated Senator Gertrude Musuruve insisted that Prof Walibora was not given the speedy attention that he required, and challenged KNH and other health facilities to improve on emergency treatment.
“There is need to interrogate and find out if the emergency wings are doing what they are supposed to,” said Ms Musuruve.
The senators observed that public hospitals are the first port of call for a majority of victims of road accidents and violence, pointing to the need to ensure that their emergency sections are up to task.
“There is need to ensure that public hospitals are adequately resourced and equipped in order to enable them deal with emergencies,” said Mr Michael Mbito, the Health committee chairman.
