St. Teresa’s Maternity and Nursing Home in Kikuyu, Kiambu County, has defended itself against claims of medical negligence. This comes after the death of 32-year-old Phylis Wanjiru, who passed away on September 9 following a cesarean section.
The Emergency Cesarean
According to the hospital, Wanjiru arrived with lower abdominal pain and was in labour. Doctors noted she had undergone two previous cesarean deliveries. An earlier ultrasound had shown the baby was lying sideways (transverse lie).
Because of these complications, an emergency cesarean section was carried out under spinal anesthesia. During the operation, the team discovered that Wanjiru had placenta previa. This condition, where the placenta lies unusually low, can cause dangerous bleeding.
Despite this, the doctors managed to deliver a healthy baby girl weighing 3.1kg. At the time of surgery, the bleeding was minimal.
Post-Surgery Complications
About six hours later, Wanjiru developed secondary postpartum hemorrhage, a serious condition linked to women with multiple cesarean histories. The medical team decided to transfer her to Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
The hospital says she was referred at 1am in an “alert and stable” condition. A follow-up the next morning showed she had undergone further surgery and was recovering in the Critical Care Unit. Sadly, she died later that day.
A postmortem report listed the cause of death as Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC). This is a rare clotting disorder where the body’s normal clotting process becomes overactive.
Hospital and Family Disagree
St. Teresa’s insists all medical procedures were followed. “Our staff acted quickly and in accordance with professional standards to provide the best possible care,” the statement read.
However, her husband, Dennis Wanyonyi, disputes this. He claims KNH doctors questioned how St. Teresa’s handled the case. He also says seeking justice has been frustrating, as police at Kikuyu and KNH sent him back and forth.
Wanyonyi is now appealing to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) to investigate and take action.
