This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
On July 17, 2020, Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Nairobi was forced to halt services due to a COVID-19 outbreak among its staff.
According to reports, 41 nurses at the facility had tested positive for the virus, prompting the hospital to suspend all non-emergency services.
The Nairobi City County Government-managed hospital, which serves hundreds of women on a normal day, has been closed to visitors and new patients.
However, the Ministry of Health Director-General Dr. Patrick Amoth has maintained that the hospital will remain open for emergency cases, including complicated deliveries.
Patients seeking maternal healthcare services have been directed to adjacent facilities, such as Ngara, while Pumwani deals with emergency cases.
“Pumwani hospital shall remain open for complicated delivery cases. In the meantime, patients can access maternal health care from the adjacent health facilities,” read the ministry’s statement in part.
