Agony of Kenyan woman who lost five new born babies in Tanzanian hospital
A woman from a village in Taita Taveta County is mourning the loss of her five new born babies after they died in a Tanzanian hospital on Wednesday.
Bahati Tabu was forced to seek maternity services in the neighbouring country due to the ongoing health workers strike in the county.
The 37-year-old mother of 10 was rushed to Kisanga Dispensary in Holili, Tanzania after she developed pregnancy complications but was later referred to Kwa Minja Hospital in Himo.
In an interview with the Nation, she blamed the ongoing medical practitioners strike for the loss of her babies.
“I went into labour and rushed to Taveta sub-county hospital but the watchman told me there was no nurse or doctor to help me,” she said.
UNDERWEIGHT BABIES
“Medical officers at the dispensary in Holili could not handle my situation and referred me to another hospital in Himo,” she said.
Ms Tabu travelled to the next health facility on a boda boda.
She said she was unable to raise fare and hospital fees forcing her to use inappropriate means of transport for a distance of 10 kilometres.
“Good Samaritans gave me fare and some little money for hospital charges. I don’t have employment and I knew maternity charges are free in Kenya,” she said.
According to Ms Tabu, the hospitals lacked incubators for her underweight babies.
