Hospital explains baby death after Viagra dose

Kenyatta National Hospital on Wednesday released details of Viagra treatment given to a baby a week ago when it developed breathing problems after birth.

According to the referral hospital, the baby was delivered on Tuesday last week at the labour ward.

After delivery it was found to have complications of “meconium grade three” and was transferred to New Born Unit for further management.

Meconium are the earliest stools of an infant. Unlike later faeces, meconium is composed of materials ingested during the time the infant is in the uterus.

“At the unit the baby was put on oxygen and a chest X-ray done the next day, which showed the baby stool in the womb had gone into the lungs, causing complications,” said Dr Simon Monda on behalf of the hospital.

The baby was immediately put on Sildenafil (Viagra) and on March 19, 2011, the baby’s ability to breathe worsened and its health continued to deteriorate and was put on assisted breathing, Dr Monda added.

The baby died at 6pm on the same day. Efforts to trace the whereabouts of the parents were fruitless.

High pressure

“The doctors and nurses did their best to save the child, having done all the procedures correctly and timely services provided to the patient,” the hospital said in a press statement.

“Some babies develop persistent pulmonary hypertension of the neonate (PPHN), a condition where the pressure in the blood vessel that allows blood to flow to the lungs remains abnormally high. This also occurs in babies who have aspirated meconium.

“Persistent high pressure in these vessels leads to less blood flow to the lungs and, therefore, less oxygen reaching the blood and all organs of the body.

“Sildenafil may cause these vessels to relax and allow for improved blood flow and improved oxygen delivery to all organs,” read the statement.