Nakuru Level Five Hospital, one of the busiest referral facilities in the region, is currently facing a critical staffing crisis that is putting the lives of patients especially expectant mothers and newborns at risk. The shortage of medical personnel has left key departments, including the maternity wing, overwhelmed and struggling to meet the demand for services.
Despite serving thousands of residents from Nakuru County and neighboring regions, the hospital continues to operate with a suboptimal number of nurses, doctors, and clinical officers. The maternity ward, in particular, has become a focal point of concern following the recent death of 26-year-old Elizabeth Wairimu, who passed away just hours after giving birth.
Wairimu was admitted to the hospital on April 18 with a post-dated pregnancy. Although doctors had recommended an immediate caesarean section, the operating theatre was already fully occupied with other emergencies, forcing her to be taken back to the general ward. She eventually underwent surgery the following day and delivered a healthy baby boy. However, soon after the operation, she began experiencing severe breathing difficulties.
The hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU), already stretched beyond capacity, had no available bed for her. She was kept on a ventilator in the operating room while waiting for space to open up. When a bed finally became available at around 3pm, hours after another patient had been discharged, Wairimu was transferred to the ICU. Unfortunately, she suffered a cardiac arrest and died at 5:41pm.
The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage, with her family accusing the hospital of negligence and demanding accountability. Wairimu’s mother, who was present at the hospital during her daughter’s final hours, described heartbreaking scenes in the maternity wing. She recounted witnessing two women give birth without any medical assistance, with only fellow patients and family members stepping in to help as the limited staff attended to other emergencies.
This tragic incident has exposed the deep cracks in the county’s health infrastructure and raised urgent questions about the effectiveness of leadership and healthcare management in Nakuru. The facility, named in part after former First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, was intended to be a beacon of maternal care and modern healthcare delivery. Instead, it now symbolizes a system on the brink of collapse.
A Senate petition has been launched, calling for a full audit of Nakuru Level Five Hospital in response to the rise in maternal and neonatal deaths. The petition highlights a broader concern that the hospital’s crisis is not an isolated incident but part of a worrying trend across public hospitals grappling with chronic underfunding and staff shortages.
The situation is further complicated by recent controversies involving the county leadership. Governor Susan Kihika, who campaigned vigorously in 2022 on promises to improve healthcare delivery, has faced criticism over her prolonged absence from office due to maternity leave in the United States. Her absence has coincided with what many are calling a healthcare crisis of unprecedented scale in the county.
As families mourn their loved ones, the voices calling for reform are growing louder. There is an urgent need for decisive action, from boosting staff numbers to increasing funding and improving oversight. For many, Wairimu’s death is not just a personal tragedy it is a painful reminder that access to quality healthcare remains a distant dream for many Kenyans.
