Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang has reinstated top county government health officials who had been suspended two weeks ago over allegations of negligence following the death of an expectant woman at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital.
The officials who had been asked by Governor Sang to step aside include: Health County Executive Committee Member(CECM) Ruth Koech, Chief Officer in the Health Department Fredrick Kiptum, Director of Medical Services David Bungei and Medical Superintendent at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital Aiyebei Ismael, as well as the health workers who were on duty at time allegations, were made.
Nandi County Secretary Francis Sang had issued a press statement before issuing signed letters suspending the officials to allow investigations to be conducted following a public outcry after a friend of the deceased and other family members protested for justice following the death of Nancy Chepchumba.
The speakers during a burial ceremony at Kabiyet had claimed that Chepchumba, who was a teacher at Mukunya Secondary School, was admitted to the facility on May 19, before succumbing during treatment on May 20, 2023.
Governor Sang appointed a 5-member committee chaired by Daniel Chepsiror to investigate the claims of negligence by staff at Kapsabet County Referral Hospital.
A number of allegations had been made and the committee was tasked to find out whether the deceased sought was indeed treated at the said facility, whether she had called for the hospital’s ambulance services, whether a blood sample was taken from her, as well as whether the facility actually had any in its blood bank.
The findings of the task force, according to Governor Sang, did not implicate any of the suspended health officials nor the hospital itself, since the deceased apparently did not even visit Kapsabet County Referral Hospital in the first place as to the records.
The second-term governor said the investigations revealed that Chepchumba was treated at a private facility in Kapsabet before being transferred to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH).
“Facts have now emerged and it is clear in bold and black that the Health CECM, Chief Officer, Medical Superintendent and all the staff who were on duty around the period that was mentioned were not culpable of any wrongdoing. The committee reached out to the lady captured in the video making allegations of negligence at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital and when asked to meet the committee to shed more light, she declined, ” Sang noted.
The Nandi County boss added that it was really disgusting for such allegations to be made.
“We formed an independent investigation and found out that the patient did not visit Kapsabet County Referral Hospital as alleged in the video. It is very painful to see people making malicious allegations that are unfounded and politically motivated.”
The findings indicated that the deceased was instead attended to at the White Crescent Hospital, whereupon she was urged to seek further treatment at the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital but she instead decided to go to Moi Teaching and referral hospital MTRH in Uasin Gishu County
The committee’s report further revealed that ambulance services were available at both White Crescent Hospital and the Nandi County Health Department, but she did not seek either.
Investigations additionally ascertained that adequate blood was available at both the Kapsabet County Referral Hospital as well as the Nandi Hills satellite blood transfusion centre, but no requisition was received at the laboratory.
It is through the findings of the committee that Governor Sang ordered the reinstatement of the suspended officials.
“I, therefore, direct, again with immediate effect, that the staff I had asked to step aside to resume their duties with immediate effect,” Sang ordered.
