Quintuplets moved to Eldoret hospital after complications

The quintuplets born at Kakamega County Referral Hospital have been admitted to the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) for specialised care after they developed breathing complications.

MTRH chief executive Wilson Aruasa said three of the quintuplets were stable but the others have been put under special care.

“They were referred here after developing breathing complications. Among the preterm babies, two are unstable and the other three are out of danger,” Dr Aruasa said on Friday.

The preterm babies were born 10 weeks earlier.

LOW WEIGHT

The hospital’s head of the paediatric unit, Dr Eric Ngetich, said their survival chances vary according to their weights.

The least of them weighed 820 grams and the heaviest 1.4 kilograms.

“We are supporting their breathing through a ventilator. We are also expanding their lungs to ensure they breathe properly,” Dr Ngetich said.

Their 28-year-old mother, Ms Evaline Namukhula, who has also been admitted to the hospital is in a stable condition.

“We are giving her physiotherapy assistance to help her walk properly. We are also doing blood transfusion on her because she is a bit anaemic after losing a lot of blood. We are also ensuring she takes a balance diet because she is not feeding for one but five babies. She must produce enough breast milk for them,” said Dr Philip Kirwa, who is the director of reproductive health at the maternity wing.

The preterm babies are not suckling but the mother is expressing the milk. 

She has not been breastfeeding them because of cultural beliefs, a superstition that giving birth to twins or more children is a bad omen.

The babies and their mother might stay at the facility for at least three months for doctors to monitor.