Kakamega Pregnant Woman Dies In Labour Due To Absence Of Ambulance For Referral

• Abel Nyongesa said his efforts to seek alternative means to refer his wife bore no fruit as she had passed away when he returned
• He stated that the hospital told him that the ambulance service in the county had been withdrawn due to unsettled debts
• Kakamega governor Fernandes Barasa confirmed that the ambulance services had been restored after he settled the pending debts

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Kakamega - A family in Kakamega is mourning the loss of a 30-year-old pregnant woman whose death has plunged them into deep sorrow and grief.

The deceased's husband, Abel Nyongesa, recounted the tragic events, explaining that his wife encountered complications during labour at a local health centre which demanded a transfer to the county referral hospital for childbirth.

Why couldn't Abel Nyongesa's wife be transferred?

Lamentably, the family faced a financial hurdle, unable to afford the cost of the transfer of his wife to a more equipped health facility, according to Citizen TV.

"I did not have any money on me. I asked the hospital to assist me by calling an ambulance, but they told me there were unsettled debts that led to the withdrawal of transport services," said the bereaved husband.

Regrettably, his attempts to get help went in vain as by the time the husband returned from seeking alternative solutions, his wife had tragically passed away.

Adding to the anguish, other family members also expressed their belief that access to ambulance services could have potentially saved both the mother and her unborn child.

Fernandes Barasa admits withdrawal of ambulance services

Kakamega county governor Fernandes Barasa acknowledged the withdrawal of ambulance services by the Kenya Red Cross Society due to huge outstanding debts from the previous administration.

However, he assured the community that these services had been restored following the settlement of the debts, offering a glimmer of hope amid the profound sorrow.

"We had huge debts from the previous administration. As of now, we have settled the debts. I want to assure all our residents in the 12 sub-counties that the ambulance services have been restored. Do not listen to those spreading propaganda," he stated.

Nairobi woman dies after woman predicts childbirth complications

Meanwhile, in another tragic story, a lady who was happy about her pregnancy journey died at Mama Lucy Hospital in Nairobi post-delivery.

Her death came after her TikTok follower assured her that she would not make it out of the delivery room.

However, it was unclear whether the follower's remarks had anything to do with the lady's death which left her family in absolute shock.