Hospital in focus as widow loses limbs in operation

For the rest of her life, the widow will have to rely on someone else for even the simplest chores.

Just a month ago, all her limbs were intact. But now, only two fingers are left on one hand. Three limbs were amputated at Coast General Hospital, Mombasa, because of a disease known as vaculitis, in what has caused a row between the patient - Ms Katangu Wambua of Kitui district - and the hospital, as no-one is ready to take the blame.

After seeking medical services at several health centres and hospitals, Ms Wambua was referred to Coast provincial hospital on September 28, this year. Her legs were amputated from above the knees, while her eight fingers were removed to avoid gangrene, which was quickly spreading from the limbs to other parts of the body.

Coast provincial director of medical services Maurice Simiyu explained on Friday that vaculitis caused the rotting of the limbs, and that the disease was caused by an inadequate blood supply to the limbs.

Ms Wambua (pictured below), who is currently recuperating at the hospital, has been counselled and has accepted her condition.

Kicked up a storm

The woman has spent more than two weeks at the hospital, and most of her wounds are healing. She is ready to be discharged, but some family members have kicked up a storm, alleging that the amputations were done maliciously.

A few weeks after the amputations, the operations caused differences between the family and the hospital authorities after the story was highlighted in the media, raising questions about the necessity of medical procedure.

Hundreds of hospital workers on Friday spent hours outside the hospital’s administration office, waiting to be addressed by their bosses on how to end the row.

The nurses and doctors defended the amputations, arguing that they were done professionally, and that the family only wanted to “tarnish the hospital’s name”.

Business at the hospital was sluggish on Friday, and all activities centred on the matter, until the staff were addressed in the afternoon by Dr Simiyu and chief administrator Heltan Maganga.

The workers said they were demoralised by the story, and asked the media to cross-check with the authorities before publishing any article on the matter.

Reports from the hospital said Ms Wambua had visited several private and public hospitals before, but failed to get the required medical services at rates she could afford, until she landed at Coast General Hospital.

“The doctors had no alternative in their attempt to save the woman, since the veins in her limbs were not working as expected, causing decay in the limbs,” Dr Simiyu said.

He stated that the correct procedures were followed, and they even acquired the consent of her brother, contrary to reports.

The brother has been looking after her since before the operation, he said, adding that Ms Wambua had had a major operation on each of her four limbs after the surgeons carried out the required assessment.

“The woman was having a very low blood level, so the doctors had to boost her blood supply by transfusing two units of blood, and they counselled her after seeking authority from family members to do the operation,” Dr Simiyu pointed out

The complaints emerged three days after the hospital talked about the bill.

The family was told to look for Sh20,000.

“But we did not have any problem with the bill, but if the family could not afford it, they should have informed us to negotiate a waiver instead of generating claims which do not have any foundation,” said the doctor.

Mr Joseph Kenga, the nurse in charge of the patient, termed the operation as one of the most successful ones ever done at the hospital.

During the operation, he added, the woman had no problems at all, and there were no side-effects.

“Cases of amputation usually have major problems, but these ones were different since the wounds are healing in the shortest time.”