Hospital counters Ruth Matete’s claims over her hubby’s death
Beleview South Hospital has issued a statement in response to claims by gospel artiste Ruth Matete over the death of her husband after he was treated at the hospital for serious burns he suffered.
In a statement she recorded with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on Thursday, Matete said her Nigerian husband John Apewajoye had not been receiving enough water at Bellevue Hospital which led to his kidney failure.
While still admitted at the facility, Apewajoye developed complications and was referred to Kenyatta National Hospital, where a nurse questioned Bellevue’s decision to admit a burns patient for a week knowing well that the hospital did not have a burns unit.
The pastor stayed for a week at KNH before succumbing to his injuries on April 11 at 8.30pm.
On Thursday Matete, through the family lawyer, Robert Odanga, said they will take action against the hospital for her husband’s death.
“At Bellevue, my client was told that her husband suffered burns amounting to 40 per cent, but at KNH the degree was indicated as 60 per cent. The hospital needs to answer some questions regarding how they handled the deceased,” said Mr Odanga.
CYLINDER EXPLOSION
But in a response to these claims, the hospital said they are willing to share details of how they treated the deceased with the authorities.
“Our emergency response unit has had the best outcomes in managing a good number of burn cases that have recovered tremendously and discharged from our hospital,” the hospital said in a statement on Friday.
During her grilling by detectives on what led to her husband’s demise on Thursday, Matate who is two months pregnant, through her lawyer said that they had filled two complaints, one with the hospital and another with the gas company.
According to Matate, soon after the incident that saw her husband suffer burn wounds sustained after a gas cylinder allegedly exploded at the couple’s Great Wall Gardens Estate home in Athi River, Machakos County, they managed to take him to Shallom Hospital, where he stayed briefly before he was transferred to Belleview South Hospital and admitted to the high dependency unit.