Woman gives birth in tuk tuk as health staff call off strike

A woman gave birth inside a tuk tuk on Monday in Mombasa on a day that the striking doctors also agreed to resume work.

Ms Peris Wanjiru delivered a baby boy a few minutes after she was turned away from the Coast General Provincial Hospital, where she had gone to seek medical help.

“I cried for help, but they just looked at me. I was nearly dying. My water had already broken while I was pleading with them. When blood started oozing, they just stared. While I was being rushed to another hospital, I delivered inside the tuk tuk,” she said.

Ms Wanjiru was among seven expectant mothers who were denied treatment at the second largest referral hospital’s maternity wing as there were no doctors or nurses.

But later after a meeting with Governor Hassan Joho, the doctors, through their union, agreed to return to work from Tuesday, saying, the two sides had reached an agreement.

“We are sorry for the inconveniences caused, and we will not allow such a strike to happen again,’’ Dr Abidan Mwache said at the governor’s office in Kizingo.

CLOSED DOOR MEETING

The County Executive for Health Tendai Mtana Lewa said it was agreed that a task force be formed to address issues affecting Coast Provincial General Hospital.

This includes an upgrade of services.

Mr Joho visited the facility in the morning and went into a closed door meeting with doctors after which Mr Tendai announced that the boycott has ended.