Quintuplets Mother’s Death could have been Avoided- Medics

One Dr Benson Macharia said Everlyn Namukhula suffered from Peripartum cardiomyopathy, which he said was a common complication that arises after delivery.

The autopsy on a Kakamega woman who sprung to limelight when she gave birth to quintuplets last month died of heart failure, pathologists at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret said on Monday.

Former Kathiani Member of Parliament (MP) Wavinya Ndeti has condoled with the family of a Kakamega woman who died weeks after giving birth to five babies.  Speaking on Tuesday, Ndeti expressed sadness at the woman’s death.

The former lawmaker said doctors should have taken more care of the mother now deceased. She argues that the woman’s death could have been avoided.

Macharia, who was accompanied by the hospital Chief Executive Officer Wilson Arusa said the deceased had swollen feet and fluid in heart and lungs. He ruled out trauma as a cause of death.

“The autopsy revealed that she died as result of heart failure while undergoing specialised treatment,” said Macharia and defended the hospital against claims of professional negligence. 

At the same time, Kakamega county government has promised to contract a children’s home to care for the three surviving infants. Governor Wycliffe Oparanya told a press briefing that he was not certain of the family’s ability to take care of the children and may be forced to contract an organisation to do so.

“Considering that the father of the children is deaf, dumb and illiterate, it may be difficult for him to operate a bank account. The children’s grandmother ability is also in doubt even if we enhance the capacity,” he said.

The government is also preparing a formal request to have the surviving infants taken back to Kakamega County General Hospital.  Oparanya said the death of Namukhula had thrown county government’s plan to assist the family in taking care of the children into a spin.

The plan included an agreement with Nestle Kenya to provide milk and food supplements to the children for one- and-a-half years.  The children were also to be placed under the Oparanya Care programme for their immunisation cycle and a two-bedroom house be built for the family.