Nurses asked to stay away from hospital's maternity block

The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has asked its members to stay away from Mbagathi Hospital's maternity block until their safety is guaranteed.

In a written statement, KNUN Secretary-General Seth Panyako issued the directive stating that the building was previously condemned by city county engineers.

The move follows a fire incident at the hospital on Wednesday at 2am. The fire was suspected to have been caused by a power blackout that plunged the hospital into pitch darkness after one of the main switches was blown up.

City county engineers had declared the block structurally unfit after hospital staff complained that cracks were all over.

Mr Panyako criticised Nairobi Health minister for endangering the lives of people by failing to act on the recommendations of the engineer who declared the structure unfit for occupation.

“In accordance with the Occupation Safety and Health Act, we ask our members and all health workers to vacate the building with immediate effect,” said Mr Panyako.

He said that their call for the county to renovate the building, which was put up in 2014, fell on deaf ears.
Mr Panyako claimed that the electrical fault that caused power outage was caused by the leakages in the cracks on the building.