Claims that five infants perished at the Embu Level Five Hospital following the statewide power outage have been disputed by Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire.
Mbarire referred to the assertions as false and deceptive, adding that Embu Level Five Hospital has five operational standby generators, therefore the nationwide power outage had no impact on daily operations.
Activist Boniface Mwangi stated on his Facebook page that some infants had perished as a result of the power loss since the hospitals lacked a power backup.
“The public is therefore advised to ignore and disregard such misleading and alarming posts that are not backed by facts. We invite Boniface Mwangi to come or get in touch with the Department of Health to verify this information,” stated Mbarire.
She explained that data from the Embu Level 5 hospital showed that only one baby had succumbed in the last 48 hours as he was born prematurely at 21 weeks.
“There were 20 deliveries among them 8 C/Ss. All the babies are in absolute good health,” Mbarire said.
Mwangi has however updated that the current number of dead babies at Embu Hospital is nine saying these were unnecessary and avoidable deaths.
“How many other lives have been lost because hospitals didn’t have a power backup or generators ran out of fuel? Failing to plan for a power blackout in a hospital is criminal negligence,” he said.
Netizens on social media have raised concerns over the allegations urging Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha to take action.