Hospital offers to treat 30 paralysed children

Nairobi Hospital has offered to treat the 30 children who were paralysed or left with weak limbs after being injected at a dispensary in Busia County.

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia yesterday said the children, whose legs are paralysed, require specialised treatment.

“All the affected children will be taken to the hospital after the institution’s management offered to help,” he said.

The minister appeared before the National Assembly Health Committee at Continental House in Nairobi to respond to questions from MPs on what the national government had done to ensure quick recovery of the children and what action had been taken against the nurse who gave the injections.

Director of Medical Services Nicholas Muraguri said the hospital would not charge any fee for the treatment and rehabilitation of the children.

Responding to claims that the government took long to respond to the problem, Mr Macharia said his ministry acted within 24 hours.

“When the issue was reported, the ministry acted swiftly. Within 24 hours, we sent a team of doctors and physiotherapists to the area to support those on the ground, and investigate what had happened,” said Mr Macharia.

Two weeks ago, the Nation reported that at least 30 children had been paralysed after being injected at the Akichelesit Dispensary in Teso North Sub-County. The dispensary is run by the county government.

This was a few weeks after the children had been treated at the health centre.

The matter came to light after parents protested. They accused the county government of failing to investigate the matter.

Investigations are under way.

Dr Muraguri said the nurse who injected the children was qualified. “The lesson we have learnt is that we need to closely supervise all health workers,” he said.