Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, during the weekend, made a U-turn on his earlier decision after finding 12 bodies of infants at Pumwani Hospital.
The governor, who immediately announced the suspension of staff and a number of senior members of the hospital’s management, has reconsidered the move.
Governor Sonko had suspended the entire Pumwani Maternity Hospital Board, the Superintendent Dr Catherine Mutinda, Hospital Administrator Zaddock Anghanya and Obstetrician Gynaecologist Dr James Kamau.
In the impromptu visit to the facility, the governor found senior staff who were supposed to be on duty missing from work, and it emerged they were attending a conference outside the country.
The junior staff had angered the Governor after lying about the actual number of newborns that had died at the facility, only for Sonko to uncover infants’ bodies wrapped in polythene bags at a makeshift morgue.
On Sunday, October 7, 2018, Governor Sonko returned to the hospital wearing a disguise. He announced that he would reinstate the suspended medical staff after a series of changes that he believes shall better maternity service provision at the hospital.
“We can even reinstate the suspended doctors even now. I did not have any bad intention, what I wanted was service delivery to the people. Expect some changes in the next 48 days,” held Governor Sonko.
The suspended officers were given 14 days to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against them.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) opposed their suspension accusing the governor of high handedness.
KMPDU chairperson Samuel Oroko told that the governor did not follow the right procedures in suspending the officers.
He called for negotiations and talks that would better service delivery, faulting the governors’ action which he described as political stunts.