KNH revokes suspension of staff in botched brain surgery
Mr Mark Bor, the chairman of the KNH board. He said investigations had been left to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Medical Board Chairman Prof George Magoha called for the reinstatement of the four suspended health workers, saying that due process will still be followed after the investigations are complete.
- He also asked registrars who went on strike following the suspension of their colleagues to resume duty.
Kenyatta National Hospital has revoked suspension letters it gave to four staff implicated in a recent botched brain surgery.
The hospital’s board on Thursday said it had left investigations into the mishap, which saw the skull of a wrong patient opened, to the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board.
BOARD
The decision was made following KNH board's meeting with Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki and Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB).
The hospital had sent home a registrar surgeon, an anaesthetist and two nurses following a public outcry and pressure from leaders.
"Effective immediately, the board will no longer engage in any disciplinary matters as we will leave it to the KMPDB," said Mr Mark Bor, chairman of the KNH board.
This came after Medical Board Chair Prof George Magoha called for their reinstatement, saying that due process will still be followed after the investigations are complete.
Magoha further urged all the registrars who went on strike following the suspension of their colleagues to resume duty.
He also promised to work on their allowances.
PROBE
Speaking after a meeting with the Health Cabinet secretary, KMPDB and the KNH’s board, Mr Bor, who heads the referral facility’s board of management, said that the hospital regretted the incident that occurred in the hospital.
The suspension letter issued to the registrar who carried out the surgery on the wrong patient has been withdrawn, potentially ending a stand-off between the hospital’s management and 700 doctors who boycotted work over the decision to suspend their colleague.
CS Kariuki said she expects to receive investigation reports from the KNH board and medical board on March 9 for further action.
The probe follows public uproar after a neurosurgeon at the facility performed brain surgery on the wrong patient.
Reports indicate that a mix-up of tags occurred on two patients; one who was to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain and another who only required nursing and treatment for a swelling in his head.
