Alarm sounded as abandoned children find home in hospital

For many mothers, having children is considered a blessing. Lacking children can be a nightmare, and has at times led to breakage of families.

However, for six children in Meru, motherly love is a comfort they have not enjoyed.

For them, Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital has become their home, not by choice but circumstance. They are what the hospital refers to as abandoned children as their mothers are nowhere to be found.

The six have found a home in the hospital wards, despite the health risks that such an environment poses to them.

Six-year-old Frida Gakii, one of the six, has lived in the hospital for about two years now. A visit to the hospital for treatment in July 2013 is the last time she saw her mother.

She was brought to the hospital while ill by a woman who claimed to be her mother in one section and an aunt in another.

“The woman who brought Frida here told me she was the aunt. She came with two children who were both unwell,” said the hospital nurse in charge of the paediatric department, Ms Lucy Kimathi. She was about four years then.

Fridah, who was about four years then, was diagnosed with meningitis admitted to the ward.

Being a minor, the mother had to stay with her until she was discharged.

UNABLE TO PAY BILL

The woman, however, later claimed she was unable to pay the bill and the hospital waived the fees allowing them to go home.

This was not to be for Frida as she was later found in the hospital compound in the evening, sleeping soundly on the grass. Her mother could not be traced. This is how the hospital became home for her.

She is among the three abandoned children suffering from cerebral palsy.

Five-year-old Sam Baraka shares a similar story with Frida.

He was left at the hospital after his mother brought him for polio vaccination in November 2014.

“He was spotted in the compound by patients who were awaiting treatment. One patient confirmed to have seen a woman feed the baby but soon afterwards noticed the baby was alone. We were alerted but we failed to trace the mother.

“We only noticed an indication on the boy’s finger that he had had a polio vaccine,” said Ms Kimathi.

Sam, too, has cerebral palsy.

Favour Kangai was taken to the hospital in February by a children’s officer, who sought a temporary accommodation for the child as they attempt to find her mother.

She was only two months when she was abandoned at Rwanyange Methodist Church in Imenti North. According to the officer, the child was rescued by a Good Samaritan when she was left in the church compound. She does not have any form of disability.

Lucy Kendi was taken to the hospital a month ago after being rescued. She was only three-weeks-old. She is a normal child with no disabilities either. Her case, the hospital social worker said, is a bit complicated.

“The person who brought her fabricated a story that compelled us to take the child,” said Ms Christine Nthigah.

She said that at the time of admission of the child, the Good Samaritan said the child had been left in his car by a woman he had offered a lift.

“Upon investigation I found out that the mother of the baby was very sick and had been admitted to Kiirua hospital. The person who brought her in was a neighbour who was referred to this hospital as it is known to rescue abandoned children,” said Ms Nthigah.

Lucy’s mother has since died and was buried on April 11.

Ms Nthigah says taking her back to her family may not be an option due to the “wanting” situation in that home.

“The family is extremely poor. The father is a drunkard and none of their six children go to school. Taking Kendi back to such a place will be like throwing her away,” she says.

Suffering from a condition known as hydrocephalus (too much fluid in the head which makes it larger than normal size of the head), Abel Mutethia was found abandoned and taken to Nyambene Hospital in January.

He was later referred to Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital for management of his condition. This has been home for him.

Despite following up on these cases, the hospital’s two social workers have not been able to find a refuge for the children.

“There are only two children homes in the county. Both are mission care centres run by the Catholic Church, one for boys and another for girls,” said Ms Nthigah.

She said the two homes are congested and cannot accommodate any of the six. “I have tried to find a placement for them in the rescue centres but there is no vacancy,” she added. Ms Kimathi concurs, and wishes the placement could be done in other counties.

“If we could be allowed to source for rescue centres outside the county, these children would be taken care of better than here in the hospital,” she said.

The vulnerable children live in the hospital.

LOW IMMUNITY

“Living in a ward is so risky for them. With their conditions and tender ages, their immunity is very low meaning they can easily get infected,” Ms Kimathi said.

She noted that the children are at a high risk of getting Hospital Acquired Infections such as tuberculosis, viral infections and meningitis.

“Hospital Acquired Infections are stubborn and hard to treat. Normally, children below five years are not allowed into wards because of their low immunity. Keeping the six there, therefore, is exposing them to many diseases that can result in death,” said the hospital medical superintendent, Dr Julius Macharia.

Dr Macharia added: “Another challenge is that our staff are not trained on baby-sitting. We are a medical institution which provides treatment services and not care.”

He said the abandoned children, especially the three with cerebral palsy, need to be taken care of by trained care givers.

“We try to minimise the risk of infection by secluding them. Our patients have been forced to share beds because the space is limited and we cannot chase away a patient in a critical condition,” said Ms Kimathi.

She went on: “At times there is only one nurse in charge of the ward. The nurse has to attend to the many patients administering medication and also find time to bathe, feed and keep the children company. The three with cerebral palsy have to be constantly turned as they cannot do so on their own.”